A Time for Everything Under Heaven
by Jlbrew30
Summary: Two tragic deaths. Two grief-stricken children. Two hearts longing to be one. Can Harm and Mac find their way together? Read and find out.
1. A Time to Cry

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 1: A Time to Cry

_1200 Zulu_

_JAG HQ_

_Falls Church, VA_

In their respective offices, Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb Jr. and Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie were busy working on their latest assignments, and both were about ready to go get some lunch, when their phones rang at the same time.

"Rabb/Mackenzie," they spoke into their phones simultaneously. (Though, of course, neither was aware that the other was receiving a call.)

"Commander Rabb/Colonel Mackenzie," a different police officer spoke on each line. "I'm sorry to have to inform you…"

Harm and Mac eyes grew troubled as they each listened.

"Thank you for letting me know," they again spoke at the same time (again, unknown by to the other). "I'll be right there…"

Then they hung up their phones and headed out of their offices.

Emerging into the bullpen and heading for the Admiral's office, neither paid attention to anything around them…not even each other.

It was only when they both started to knock on the door at the same time that they looked each other in the eye.

Harm saw the trouble brewing in the dark chocolate orbs he loved so much, and stepped back.

"Ladies first," he said, gesturing to the door.

Likewise, Mac could read the haunted anguish she saw within his sea-colored eyes.

They had known each other too long not to know that something was very wrong.

"Let's go in together," she told him, quietly. "Give each other support."

He flashed his patented fly-boy grin that she secretly loved no matter what she said to the contrary.

"Okay," he said, "but which of us should knock."

"How about you both shut up and get your sixes in here," a sharp, gruff voice called out from within the office.

The two exchanged amused glances, and opened the door to enter the office one behind the other.

They came to stand at attention in front of their commanding officer: Admiral AJ Chegwidden.

"What is Colonel? Commander?" the admiral asked, looking up at his two senior officers. "Is it about the case?"

"No, sir," they both answered him at the same time, glancing at each other curiously.

The admiral nodded, leaning back in his chair. "You first, Mac?" he said, sighing. "Let's hear it."

"I just received a phone call, Sir," Mac told him. "It seems Chief Kyle Anderson was killed in a car accident this morning. He was on his way to Norfolk for departure when he and another vehicle…"

"Collided head on?" Harm asked, his eyes wide with shock and dismay.

"How did you know?" she asked, her gut clenching in apprehension.

"I received a phone call too, sir," Harm told the admiral. "Annie Pendry was killed in a car accident, as well. She and Josh were on their way home. The officer I spoke to, said that she and the other car each hit a patch of ice neither saw and collided head on with each other. The other driver was killed, as well."

"I see," the admiral said, a troubled expression on his face.

Mac's face was even more troubled.

No wonder she had seen anguish in Harm's eyes.

Annie Pendry was the widow of one of Harm's oldest friends, and he was her son's godfather.

They had even had a brief relationship a few years ago.

Unfortunately, the pain of losing her husband had made her weary of the military and its obvious dangers.

She didn't want her son to be encouraged to seek that life when he was older, and couldn't face losing another love the way she'd lost her husband, so she had broken it off.

Harm had kept his distance at her request, despite knowing it would hurt little Josh.

_It must be tearing him up inside that she's now gone, _she couldn't help think to herself.

"What about Chloe and Josh?" the admiral asked, referring to the two children who were apparently now orphaned.

"Josh was in the back seat, Sir," Harm said, swallowing hard. "The police officer said he received some bruising from where the seat belt caught, but otherwise he was [physically] all right. He's at the hospital where Annie (he swallowed hard at this; obviously trying to hold his emotions in check)—where his mother was taken, Sir. It's the same hospital they took the other driver, I was told."

He glanced at Mac, so did the Admiral.

"Chloe was driving to Norfolk to spend the last few hours with her dad," she said, quietly. "I was supposed to pick her up this afternoon…she's at the hospital now as well, Sir."

"Then I would suggest you get yourselves over there," he told them, firmly. "Those two children need you right now more than we do here."

They nodded.

"What should we do about the case, sir?" Harm asked, despite his need to rush out and head over to the hospital.

"Petty Officer Keller's trial is this afternoon," Mac reminded him, quietly.

Like Harm, she was consumed by the need to rush to Chloe's side—but also like him she knew their jobs couldn't just be ignored, either.

"Ah," he said, thinking. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it. You two just get your sixes to that hospital A.S.A.P."

They saluted. Then they turned and headed out of the office.

"Want to take my car?" Harm asked her, curiously.

"Better not," Mac told him, gently. "Chloe'll want to be alone, just the two us. How do you think Josh is going to react? I mean, it has been three years…"

Harm looked even more troubled.

"I don't know," he said, a bit of sadness showing, "and that's what's so damn frustrating. I should never have kept my distance…"

She placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"It's what she wanted," she reminded him, gently.

"I know," he said, shaking his head to clear it. "We need to go. I'll get my cover."

"I've got to get mine too and my purse," she said. "I'll meet you there."

He nodded, and they separated once again.

...

_1230 Zulu_

_Memorial Hospital_

_Washington D.C._

Harm and Mac, each in their respective vehicles, pulled into the parking lot of the hospital they had been told Annie and Kyle's bodies had been taken.

Heading inside, they stopped at the nurse's station.

"Excuse us, Ma'am," Harm said, gaining the attention of the nurse on duty, "but we were told that this was where those involved in the head on collision this morning were brought?"

"Yes, they were," the nurse said, sadly. "Are you the emergency contacts for the children?"

Mac nodded. "Chloe Anderson and Joshua Pendry?" she asked, making certain.

The nurse nodded.

"Yes, we are." Harm told her, seriously.

"He's Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb Jr.," Mac said, "and I'm Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie. He's Josh's godfather, and I'm Chloe's Big Sister."

The nurse nodded at him, but seemed a bit puzzled by Mac.

"Chloe used to be part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program," she explained, understanding the woman's disbelief because she was older than Kyle. "She was in foster care temporarily after her mother died, and I helped to find her father. We've remained close—I'm now her legal guardian."

Kyle, who didn't have any family alive, had made her Chloe's guardian in the event something happened to him.

At the time, he was worried about dying in the line of duty as a naval officer…he never thought he'd die in a car accident.

_What do they say? Fate is a fickle thing…or maybe it was just a cruel thing. _Harm thought to himself.

The nurse nodded, understanding.

"If you will follow me," she told them, "I will take you to where the children are waiting."

"How are they?" Harm asked, feeling a lump rise in his throat.

Josh had already lost his father and now he'd lost his mother, as well.

The nurse stopped, looking at them seriously.

"Not well," she said, sadly. "They've just sat—not crying, not talking, nothing. We were hoping the two of you might be able to get them to respond."

Harm and Mac nodded, understanding.

The nurse led them to a small waiting room with a line of chairs on three of four walls.

Joshua Pendry, age twelve, sat on one side of the room.

The blond headed boy was exactly as Harm remembered him, except maybe he was a bit taller.

_He still looks just like Luke. _

Mac's gaze fell on the other occupant in the room.

Chloe Madison Anderson sat opposite Josh, her wheat-gold hair pulled back into a pony-tail.

There was a small bandage on her forehead from a small cut she received from flying glass during the accident.

She'd been in the back seat, as well.

_Thank God for small miracles, _Mac couldn't help but think to herself.

The normally expressive girl was quiet, her head down staring at her sneakers.

She didn't even look up at their entrance. Neither did Josh.

"Kids," the nurse said, gaining the two youngsters' attention. "There are a couple of people here to see you."

Both children looked up, but their expressions didn't change.

Harm and Mac exchanged glances.

This wasn't going to be easy, for any of them.

The beautiful marine went to the little girl and knelt down.

"Hey there," she greeted her, attempting a smile.

"Hey," Chloe responded, her voice distant. "They told you?"

Mac nodded. "Yeah," she said, "I'm so sorry, Sweetheart."

It seemed as if that one little word broke past the barrier the girl had erected around herself and she burst into tears.

Mac pulled her against her chest, and she seemed to sob more.

"I'm here, Chloe," she soothed, feeling tears sting her own eyes. "I'm here. I know it hurts, baby. Just let it out. I've got you."

Harm stepped up to Josh and knelt down in front of the boy.

"Hey there, pal," he greeted him, attempting a smirk.

Josh glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, an unreadable expression on his young face.

"Didn't think I was your pal anymore, Harm?" he said in a hollow voice. "Didn't think you cared anymore?"

Harm tried not to let the boy's words get to him.

He was upset, after all.

"I do care, Josh," he told him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "I care a lot."

"Mom's gone," Josh told him, still in that same hollow tone. "Just like Dad."

Harm gulped, forcing his own grief down. "I know, pal," he said. "I wish…"

"What?" Josh asked, harshly. "You wish it didn't happen? That makes two of us..."

Tears welled in his eyes, but he brushed them away.

Harm noticed the stubborn set to the boy's jaw and understood why he refused to cry.

He dreamed of going into the military and in his mind military men _didn't_ cry.

_The hell we don't!_

Harm grabbed Josh's other shoulder, gripping him firmly by both, and forcing him to look him in the eyes.

"Don't, Josh," he told the boy, firmly. "Don't hold anything inside. If you need to cry, son, then cry!"

"I'm not your son," Josh said, blinking back more tears.

"I love you like one, Josh," Harm told him, truthfully. "Now, let it out. You'll feel better. I promise."

He pulled the boy against his chest.

"Just let it out, Josh," he said, stroking his hair. "I know it hurts, kiddo. Believe me, I know…"

Josh struggled for a second, but then burst into sobs.

"W-Why!" he cried, heartbreakingly. "Why!"

Harm gulped, holding onto the boy more tightly.

"I don't know," he told him, rocking him gently with him. "I wish I did, but I don't!"

"I-I want her back," the boy sobbed even harder. "I-I don't want to be alone!"

"I know, buddy," Harm soothed. "I know, and you're not alone."

Josh shook his head, fiercely. "Yes, I am!" he cried, bitterly.

"I'm here now," Harm soothed, running his fingers through his hair, "and I'm not going anywhere ever again."

"P-Promise?" Josh asked, glancing up at him through his tear stained face.

He knew the former navy pilot never made a promise he didn't keep.

That is what had gotten them in trouble with his mom.

Harm had promised him to take him on that stupid kid's cruise on that carrier.

He didn't know the thing was going to get high-jacked by terrorists.

Harm nodded. "I promise," he said, and then heard it echoed by Mac not a second later.

_Chloe must have wanted the same reassurance…_

The question was…did he have the strength to be there for this child?

He glanced over and met Mac's eyes.

He knew without needing to be told she was wondering the exact same thing.

TBC...


	2. A Time to Seperate

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 2: A Time to Separate

_1700 Zulu_

_Mac's Apartment_

_Georgetown, VA_

"How's Chloe?" Harm's voice came across the telephone line.

"Asleep," Mac told him, quietly. "I tried to get her to eat something, but she just wanted to lie down."

"Pretty much the same on this end," Harm said, sighing. "Josh just pushed the food around on his plate."

"I don't blame him," she said, a teasing note in her voice. "With the stuff you serve…"

"Just because I eat things other than mangled cow," he said, teasing back, "doesn't mean my cooking is _that_ bad."

Mac smiled, and was surprised by it.

It had been a long day, a painful day, and she really didn't have a lot to smile about at the moment…especially given who she was expecting any minute.

"So, what is he doing now?" she asked, by way of distracting herself.

"He's taking a bath," he told her. "He…uh…he had some blood on him from the accident."

"Oh," she said, feeling her heart break for the little boy.

She had never really gotten to know either Annie or Josh when they'd been apart of Harm's life before, but she knew that her best friend loved that little boy a lot.

"I know," he said, and she could all but see the smile on his face. "We're in deep this time, eh Ninja Girl?"

_He hasn't called me that in a while…_

Mac nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I'd say we are."

Just then, there was a knock on her door that made her jump. She turned, biting her lip.

"Hey, Harm?" she said, hesitantly. "I'm going to have to let you go. There's somebody at the door."

"Oh," he asked, curiously. "Anybody I know?"

He'd meant it as a joke, of course, but…

She bit her lip harder, as the knock came again.

"It's Mic," she told him, honestly.

"Oh," he said, and she could here the scorn in his voice despite his best efforts to hide it.

"All right," he said, a second later. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Bye, Sailor." She hung up.

The knock came a third time.

Afraid the noise would wake Chloe, she hurried to open it.

"Hello there, luv," Mic Brumby, her boyfriend and hopeful fiancé, stood there in all his Aussie glory.

Mac sighed. "Hello, Mic," she greeted, stepping back to allow him in.

He stepped into the apartment and reached to pull her into a hug.

"Thanks for callin'," he said, smiling. "How's the girl?"

Mac felt a moment of anger.

_The girl's name is Chloe!_

But then she shook her head to clear it.

Mic had never had the chance to meet Chloe yet, since she'd been off with her dad the last few months, so it really wasn't his fault that he didn't have the same kind of feeling for the situation that she did.

Still…the Australian could at least _sound_ a bit more sympathetic.

"She's asleep," she told him, putting some distance between them.

"Poor kid," Mic said, shaking his head. "How are you doing?"

"I'm…um…" Mac said, hesitantly. "…I'm dealing."

She shrugged, giving her patented "I'm a Marine and I can take care of myself" stare.

"So," he asked, curiously. "What's going happen to her? Does she have any family at all?"

"Yes," Mac told him. "She has me."

"I know that, luv," Mic told her, smirking. "I just meant…well, is there anyone who will be able to care for her now that her dad is gone?"

"I'll care for her, Mic," Mac told him. "Kyle made me her legal guardian in the event that something ever happened to him."

"He did?" the Australian asked, seemingly surprised. "You never mentioned that…"

She shrugged.

"It didn't seem important at the time," she said. "It was a precaution…or it was supposed to be."

She blinked back her own tears.

"Oh," Mic said, frowning slightly.

This was a definite hitch in his plans.

He was still trying to convince Mac to marry him, and he wasn't sure where an orphaned child would play into that.

_Ah, what the hell…I wanted to start a family right away, anyway!_

He gave her his most charming (in his opinion, of course) smile.

"Don't worry, luv," he told her, reassuringly. "We'll take care of her together."

She sighed. It was now or never…

"Mic," she started to say, but he interrupted.

"I mean," He said, smirking. "I had hoped we'd have a little time…for us…before we started a family, but this is even better."

"Mic," Mac tried again, but again the man ignored her.

"It's all right, luv, really," he said, interrupting again. "I'll adopt her and…"

"MIC!" Mac hissed, loudly.

The Aussie blinked at her. "What is it, luv?" he asked, puzzled.

She looked past him, staring at something.

He followed her gaze to where a ring sat on the coffee table.

He walked over and picked it up.

It was the ring he'd given her, the ring she'd been wearing on her right hand and he'd been desperately trying to get her to move to her left, to make them officially engaged.

"What's this?" he asked, glancing at her with uncertainty.

Mac sighed.

She had known this was going to be hard, but…

_Suck it up, Marine!_

"Mic, I'm sorry," she told him, "but right now Chloe is my main priority."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mic asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Mac sighed…again.

"She needs me now more than…well, more than you do," she told him, honestly.

"That isn't true," Mic told her, hurt and angry. "I _do_ need you!"

Mac glanced toward the small bedroom Chloe was sleeping in.

"Please, Mic," she pleaded, quietly yet firmly. "Don't get loud…and please try and understand…"

"Understand what?" the Australian asked, definitely more angry than hurt now.

"Understand that I love you!" he growled at her, his fist clenching. "Understand that I moved to another country for you. Understand that I gave up my commission for you!"

"I never asked you to do those things," she reminded him, her eyes hard. "You did them on your own and without consulting me. Remember?"

"I did them _for_ you," Mic growled at her, "so that we could be together…"

"Mic," Mac said, her voice emotionless. "I just don't love you."

It had taken her a while to realize that, but it was the truth and she knew it now.

He needed to know it, too.

The Aussie looked as if he'd been punched in the gut.

Mac took a deep breath, before continuing.

"I've been wrestling with this decision for a while now," she told him, truthfully.

He just stared at her—wide-eyed.

"I didn't want to hurt you," she explained, further, "and I didn't really understand how I truly felt…but today put everything into perspective. I have someone other than myself to think about now."

Mic was silent for a moment, but then his voice grew hard.

"It's Rabb, isn't it?" he asked, sneering.

"This has nothing to do with Harm," she told him, definitely angry now. "This is about Chloe and what's best for her."

"Yeah, right," he snorted, rolling his eyes at her. "That bastard's been between us this whole time! I should have beat him to death back in Australia when I had the chance!"

"Mac," a small, sleepy voice spoke, causing both to look to their right.

Chloe stood there in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes. "Is everything all right?" the girl asked, frowning.

Mac threw Mic a death glare.

"Please, Mic," she said, coldly. "Just leave. I have nothing more to say to you."

She turned and deliberately headed for the girl, wrapping her arms around her.

Mic watched her, knowing what she was telling him.

She'd made her choice…and it _wasn't_ him.

"Fine," he growled, and then stormed out of the apartment.

He slammed the door behind him.

"Harm's right," Chloe said, glancing up at Mac.

Mac glanced down at her. "About what?" she asked, curiously

"His name should be Bugme," the girl said, sighing.

Mac laughed at that…relieved to hear the girl sound remotely like her old self more than she had the entire day.

...

_1730 Zulu_

_Harm's Apartment_

_North of Union Station_

Harm paced around his apartment, anxious.

_What's there to be anxious about?_

Oh, let's see…the woman he loved more than anything else was more than likely going to marry someone else because he couldn't work up the guts to say three little words.

The wife and widow of one of his oldest friends, a woman he had affection for since they were in college, died that morning and he didn't get to say goodbye.

And now he had a twelve year old, emotionally wrecked, little boy to take care of.

_Yep, that about sums it up alright..._

Just then, there was a knock on his door.

Frowning, because he wasn't expecting anyone, he crossed to it before it had a chance to wake Josh—who had fallen asleep on the sofa after his bath.

Renee Peterson stood there. "Hey there, sailor," she said, smiling.

He blinked, frowning.

Hadn't she gotten his message he'd left her, explaining everything?

"Well?" she asked. "Are you going to let me in?"

"Uh, sure," he said, stepping out of the way. "Just keep your voice down, please?"

Renee looked puzzled. "Why?" she asked, confused.

Harm glanced at the sofa, and he followed her gaze.

"Oh," she said, eyes wide. "Are you babysitting for someone?"

_I'm guessing that's a negative on getting my message._

"No, Renee," he said, scrubbing his face in his hands. "That's Josh Pendry. Didn't you get my message I left you?'

"I just left work," she explained, confused. "I've been so busy all day that I haven't had time to check. Why?"

He sighed again.

He then went on to explain everything to her; about Luke, about Annie, and now about Josh.

"Oh," she said, looking at the sleeping child sympathetically. "The poor kid…"

Harm nodded. "Yeah," he said. "He's been through a lot."

"So?" she said, glancing at him curiously. "You're really going to tackle raising him?"

"Of course," Harm said, wondering how she could even assume he wasn't.

The video princess, as Mac called her, glanced around his apartment.

"I think you're going to need a bigger place, then," she told him, seriously.

"I've thought of that," he said, "but I doubt I'll have time to look for a new place anytime soon."

"Why don't you both move in with me?" she suggested, smiling brightly at the idea. "I have plenty of room…"

"Renee," he said, sighing. "He just lost his mother, and he's got to get used to an entirely new situation with _just_ me around."

"So?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. It was clear she didn't understand what he was getting at.

He sighed again.

"Adding someone else, especially another woman, to the mix wouldn't help," he told her. "It'd probably make things worse."

Renee frowned. "Are you saying I can't be the motherly type?" she asked, hands on her hips.

Harm shook his head.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," he said, angrily. "He needs time to adjust…and so do I."

Her eyes went wide. "What are you saying, Harm?" she asked, not sure she wanted to know.

He took a deep breath, knowing how hurt she would be by what he was about to do.

"I'm saying," he told her, "that I think it'd be a good idea to stop seeing each other. I need to be there for Josh now, I wouldn't have time for you, and that wouldn't be at all fair…to you."

She glared at him.

"Bet you'd have time for Mac, though," she muttered, loud enough for him to hear.

Harm's eyes hardened, as did his voice.

"Mac has nothing to do with this," he growled, a little louder than he intended.

Josh stirred on the sofa. "H-Harm?" the boy asked, groggily.

He walked over and smoothed the boy's hair.

"It's okay, pal," he told him, gently. "Just go on back to sleep, okay?"

Josh nodded, closing his eyes.

Harm glanced up at Renee.

"I think you'd better go now," he told her, quietly yet firmly.

The woman's face grew red with anger.

"You just made the biggest mistake of your life," she growled storming toward the door.

"Renee," he called out to her just as her hand was on the door knob.

She glanced back at him.

"I really am sorry." Harm told her, sincerely.

Her eyes softened. "I know," she said, quietly. "And that's why I'm so damn angry!"

With that, she stormed out.

Thankfully, she didn't slam the door.

"Is something wrong?" Josh's voice drifted up to him and he glanced down to find the boy's troubled blue eyes staring at him.

He knelt down. "Nothing I can't handle, pal," he assured him, gently.

"You wanna talk about it?" the boy asked, curiously.

Harm couldn't help but grin. "Isn't that what I'm supposed to ask you?" he asked him, gently.

The boy shrugged. "I'm kinda hungry," he said, changing the subject.

Harm smiled. "How about we take a ride to McDonalds?" he suggested. "My treat…"

"You don't like McDonalds," the boy reminded him, sitting up.

He shrugged.

"I may not eat meat but I do love ice cream," he told him, smiling. "What do you say?"

Josh nodded. "Okay," he said, and bent down to put on his sneakers.

Harm grinned.

_We're gonna get through this, kiddo. _

Some how.

TBC...


	3. A Time to Mourn

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 3: A Time to Mourn

_1300 Zulu_

_Rosewood Cemetery_

_Falls Church, VA_

Three days later, the funerals for Annie Pendry and Chief Kyle Anderson were held.

Annie's was at one o'clock at a local cemetery in Falls Church, while Kyle was to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C two hours later.

Neither had wanted a large funeral, so both services were grave-side only with family and a few close friends in attendance.

Harm stood straight and tall beside Josh, who was wearing a suit he'd purchased for him for the solemn occasion.

The boy stood beside him—mirroring his straight and tall stance—as he listened to the minister speak comforting words that, while kind, really weren't that much comfort to a twelve year old who was now an orphan.

Admiral A.J. Chegwidden, Lt. Bud Roberts, and his wife, Lt. Harriet Sims, stood just behind the two of them, having come to support a close friend and colleague.

A few close friends of Annie were also in attendance, but Josh paid them no mind.

He continued to stare straight ahead, no trace of emotion on his young face.

Harm glanced down at him, worriedly.

It had been a rough three days.

The boy had gone back and forth between retreating into himself and lashing out at the world.

One moment he would be so quiet you wouldn't think he was in the room, and then the next…he'd be yelling and swearing.

Harm wasn't sure what to do at those times, but he managed to calm him down and afterwards the boy would break down sobbing and eventually fall asleep.

Unfortunately even that didn't last long as he had started having nightmares that kept both of them awake.

The Navy Commander was actually surprised they both looked as well as they did, all things considered.

Last night had been the roughest of the three nights, and he had wondered if either of them would be ready for the funeral.

The minister concluded the service, offering a few personal words of comfort to Josh, and turned to walk off to give the boy a chance to say good-bye in private.

The others did the same, leaving just Harm and the boy at the grave sight.

"I barely remember Dad's, you know," Josh spoke, startling Harm for a moment. "His funeral, I mean."

Harm nodded. He remembered.

The boy had only been six at the time, after all.

"Now," Josh said, "I wish I was that little again, so I wouldn't remember this…"

Harm placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze.

"I know it may seem that way now, buddy," he told the boy, "but trust me, later on you're going to be glad you can remember this. This is your chance to say good-bye, to let her rest in peace. I never got that chance with my dad and I've always regretted it."

Josh looked up at him.

"I don't want to say good-bye," he said, a couple of tears falling down his cheeks.

He quickly scrubbed them away.

"I know," Harm told him. "I don't want to, either, but…it's something that you can't change—neither of us can."

"I wish I could," Josh told him, staring at eh casket once more.

"I know," Harm told him, gently, "but all you can really do now is to live the life she would have wanted you to."

Josh nodded. "Can I say good-bye in private?" he asked, blinking back more tears.

Harm nodded. "Sure," he said. "I'll just be over there with Bud, Harriet, and the admiral."

The boy nodded and he patted him on the back. He then walked over to join his friends.

"How is he, Sir?" Harriet, who was a mother herself, asked gently.

"As well as can be expected," he told them. "I appreciate you all coming."

"You're family, Sir," Bud spoke up, "and now so is he."

"You and he will pull through this," AJ spoke to him, give _his_ shoulder a squeeze.

"Thank you, sir," Harm told him, gratefully.

The admiral tended to treat him and Mac like his own kids at time.

Right now, he was very thankful for that.

"One thing that tiger cruise should have taught you," AJ told him, "and that is you're _both_ fighters."

Harm nodded. "It did," he said, agreeing. "He's one tough kid."

"How about we take him home with us, Sir," Harriet suggested, gently.

"We know you'll probably want to go to Chief Anderson's funeral," Bud said. "To be with the Colonel and Chloe…"

"I appreciate that," he said, "but let me make sure it's all right with him first."

They all turned to watch as the little boy placed a hand on his mother's casket, said something, wiped at his face again, and then turned and headed toward them.

_Yeah, he really is a strong kid. _

"Hey there," Harm said, looking him in the eye. "Say what you need to? It's okay if you want a little more time."

The boy shook his head. "No," he said, "I'm ready to go now."

Harm nodded. "I have a favor to ask?" he told the boy.

"What?" the boy asked, curiously.

"Would you mind going with Bud and Harriet back to their house. Their little boy, AJ, is only two but you can help 'em out by keeping him out of things. What do you say?"

"Where are you going?" Josh asked, curious.

"I have somewhere I need to go," he told him, vaguely. "It won't take long, I promise."

"You're going to that man's funeral," Josh said. "That girl's dad? The one that was in the car we hit? Aren't you?"

"Mac is my friend," he told him, "and so is Chloe. I need to be there for them. Can you understand that?"

Josh nodded. "Can I come with you?" he asked. "I-I'd stay back and not get in the way."

Harm looked at him closely.

"Are you sure, Josh?" he asked. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

The boy nodded. "I want to go," he said, quietly. "I know how she feels…"

Harm swallowed, feeling both proud and extremely sad at the same time.

It took a lot of courage for the boy to do what he was doing.

His parents were smiling down from Heaven at this very moment, he was sure.

"All right," he said, agreeing. "We'll all go."

...

_1500 Zulu_

_Arlington National Cemetery_

_Washington, D.C._

Master Chief Kyle Anderson was laid to rest as most soldiers have been: with honor and dignity.

His daughter, Chloe Madison Anderson, stood in between the two other people she loved most in the world: Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie and Commander Harmon Rabb Jr.

Mac stood on the girl's right while Harm stood on her left.

Beside him were Josh and Admiral Chegwidden, while Bud and Harriet stood beside Mac.

Behind them were assorted naval friends and colleagues who she didn't really know.

It didn't matter, anyway.

Those she needed most right now were beside her.

Chloe stood unmoving, unblinking, as she stared at her father's flag-draped casket.

A navy chaplain spoke comforting words, reminding everyone of Kyle's bravery and his courage to serve his country.

Mac glanced down at the girl, who looked even paler than usual in her black dress, worriedly.

Chloe had always been an exuberant child, full of energy and _always_ ready to voice her opinion on any subject.

That vibrant energy, however, had seemed to vanish these last few days.

She had retreated inside herself, hardly talking at all.

In fact, she hardly did much of anything except sleep.

_I can't really blame her._

It had only been a couple of years since she'd found her father…and now to lose him so suddenly was heart wrenching.

Chloe had been young when her mother had died so she barely remembered her, but this…she would remember for the rest of her life.

Mac blinked back tears of her own, knowing she needed to be strong right now.

She glanced at Harm, who glanced back.

She saw reassurance in his blue eyes and felt a wave of relief wash over her.

It seemed, like most things the last few years, they were in this together and they would face this together.

As the service concluded, with the traditional farewell salute (bugle playing and rifles firing), two naval officers stepped forward and folded up the flag that was draped across Kyle's casket.

Once finished, one of them presented it to Chloe.

She glanced up at Mac, who nodded.

She glanced up at Harm, who also nodded.

They both reached up and placed a hand on her shoulders, offering her their strength.

She reached out and took the flag from the man, cradling it to her chest.

Two large tears fell down her cheeks.

With the service concluded, the others broke away to give the grieving girl and her guardian some alone time.

"We'll be just over there," Harm told Mac, who nodded.

They all moved off to give them some privacy.

"They didn't have to go," Chloe said, still staring straight ahead. "I'm fine."

Mac knew that wasn't true.

"They just wanted to give you a chance to say good-bye in private," she told her, gently.

Chloe looked up at her. "I don't want to say good-bye," she told her, more tears falling.

Mac swallowed, forcing her own tears back.

"Oh, Sweetie," she said, reaching out to cup the girl's face. "I know you don't, and it's not fair that you have to, but it's something that you can't change."

"I know," Chloe said, more tears falling.

Mac ran a hand through her hair.

"All you can do now," she told her, gently, "is grow up and be the beautiful young woman he'd have wanted you to be."

Chloe nodded. "Why, Mac?" she asked. "Just why?"

Her face crumpled and she started sobbing.

"Oh, honey," Mac soothed, pulling her into a strong hug, "I wish I knew, but it was an accident…a terrible, terrible accident that no one was expecting or could have prevented."

They remained holding each other, Mac letting the girl cry all she wanted to.

She even let a few tears of her own fall down.

This little girl meant the world to her, and it broke her heart to see her in pain.

After a few minutes, Chloe's crying eased and she swiped at her tear stained face.

"I'm ready to go now," she said, glancing one more time at her father's casket.

Mac nodded.

"All right," she said, and together they headed toward where the others were waiting.

Harm stepped forward to give the girl a big hug. "Honey," he told her, "I'm so sorry."

He bent down and kissed her head.

"Thanks, Harm," Chloe said, squeezing him tightly.

"You're welcome," he told her, reaching out to tweak her nose. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

He glanced back at Josh.

The boy stepped forward. "I'm Josh."

"I'm Chloe," she told him. "I'm sorry about your mom."

"I'm sorry about your dad," the boy replied. "Sucks, huh?"

Chloe nodded. "You said it," she said, sniffing a bit.

Harm and Mac exchanged a glance, each thinking the same thing.

Perhaps, together, the two children could help each other through their shared grief.

"Let's take a walk," Harm suggested to her in her ear. "Clear the air a bit."

She nodded. "All right," she said, glancing at Chloe.

"Will you be all right here with Bud and Harriet for a few minutes while Harm and I take a walk?"

The girl nodded.

Harm looked at Josh, who also nodded.

Together, the two best friends began strolling along the rows of white crosses and headstones that marked the resting places for America's fallen heroes.

"The last few days have totally sucked, huh?" Harm asked, smirking.

"You said it," Mac said, smirking back. "How'd it go earlier?"

She wished she could have gone to Annie's funeral, but she hadn't wanted to leave Chloe alone.

"About as well as it did here," Harm said, sighing. "He's trying to act brave and tough, but deep down he's hurting something awful."

"She is too," Mac said, quietly. "I wish there was something more we could do for them…"

"Actually," Harm told her, "I've been doing some thinking…"

"Uh oh," the beautiful marine said, with a teasing smile.

Harm smiled. "Thanks a lot," he told her, giving him a playful nudge.

"Anyway," he went on, "after dad went down I spent a lot of time at my grandmother's farm. It helped a lot."

"Okay," she said, wondering where this was going.

"I thought, maybe, you and I could take the kids there for a little while," he told her, his voice hopeful. "We both have quite a bit of leave time saved up, and I know she would be glad to have us there."

Mac had always wanted to meet his grandmother, the woman that shared her name and for whom he'd named his beloved by-plane after.

"Do you think the kids would mind?" she asked.

"It would be good for them to get away," he told her, grinning. "They'd get some fresh air, have plenty of room to play and relax, a few farm chores to keep them busy, and a lot of delicious home cooking. It'd be just what the doctor ordered."

"Uh huh," Mac said, smirking. "Why do I get the feeling it wouldn't be just for the kids' benefit?"

"Well," he said, flashing his flyboy smile, "it wouldn't 'harm' me none, either."

She laughed at his deliberate pun—something she hadn't done in several days.

"What about Renee?" she asked him, curiously. "Won't she mind if you suddenly head on up to Pennsylvania for an extended stay?"

He looked away.

He hadn't yet told her he'd broken if off with the video princess, yet.

_Well, now was as good a time as any I guess…_

"We, uh," he said, clearing his throat, "stopped seeing each other three days ago."

Mac's eyes widened at that.

He'd actually dumped the video princess?

Wow.

"You did?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

Her heart was beating faster for some strange reason.

He nodded.

"My heart wasn't in the relationship," he told her, "and besides, Josh means more to me than she does."

She nodded, understanding.

"What about Bug—uh, _Brumby_—will he give you any grief if you decide to go?" he asked, not quite meeting her eyes.

Mac held up both hands, showing no rings on either of them.

"I gave his ring back three days ago," she told him. "It's over."

_His_ eyes widened at that.

She'd actually sent Bugme packing?

Wow.

"You did?" he asked. "Why?"

His own heart had started beating faster as well.

She shrugged.

"I accepted the thing too fast and jumped in too fast," she told him. "Besides, Chloe needs me and she means more to me than he did."

"Did he take it well?" he asked, curious.

"No," she said, "but that's understandable. What about Renee?"

He shrugged, glancing at his spit-shined shoes.

"She was hurt, of course," he said, "but it wouldn't have been fair to make her think it was going any further than it was."

She nodded. "So," she said, "I guess we're all clear to head to Pennsylvania, huh?"

He smiled. "Yeah, I guess we are."

"Good," she told him, grinning.

"We should probably wait a few days, though," he suggested. "Get things settled with the kids, plus get things tidied up with work. I also have to call Gram to let her know we're coming."

"All right," she said. "We'll hit the road in three days."

"Sounds like a plan to me," he told her, flashing his fly-boy grin.

She smiled back.

_Sounds like a great plan to me, too._

TBC...


	4. A Time to Travel

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 4: A Time to Travel

_1000 Zulu_

_Pennsylvania Highway_

"Ouch! You're stepping on my foot!"

"It's not my fault you have big feet!"

"Well, if you'd keep your feet on _your_ side of the car!"

"I'm not on _your_ side, this is the middle!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Not."

"Too."

"Harm!"

"Mac!"

The aforementioned military lawyers glanced at each other from where they sat in the front seat of the Commander's SUV.

They had been on the road for four hours now, traveling to Sarah Rabb's farm in Beallsville, Pennsylvania.

The first two hours of the trip had been very quiet.

Josh and Chloe had both just wanted to sleep after having been awoken at the 'crack of dawn' as they both put it.

The third hour, after they had finally woken up fully, was just as quiet.

Chloe read a book she had brought while Josh played his Game Boy.

Unfortunately, for the last hour all they seemed able to do was gripe, complain, and argue with each other.

The volume in the car had risen quite a bit.

Harm sighed, feeling his temper rise.

"All right, you two," he called back over his shoulder, "don't _make_ me have to pull this car over."

A snort from Mac had him looking at her with a questioning stare.

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"I can't believe you just said that," she said, grinning at him.

He looked sheepish. "It always worked when Mom said it."

"I bet she had to say it a lot," she told him, teasing.

He just grunted back at her.

Turning around in her seat to stare at the two sullen kids glaring at each other, she sighed wearily.

"Why don't you two get out those CD players you brought," she suggested, "and then just watch the scenery for a little bit while you listen."

"We'll be there in a little while," Harm promised, "and then we can get out."

"Fine," the two kids huffed, pointedly refusing to look at the other.

They each took out the portable music players they'd brought from their backpacks.

Silence reigned once more after that, and Mac turned back to the front with a pleased smile on her face.

"Uh huh," Harm said, out of the corner of his mouth. "Let's see how long _that_ lasts."

Mac just chuckled.

"Just keep driving, Sailor," she told him. "The sooner we get there, the sooner we both stay sane."

"You got it," he said, and deliberately stepped harder on the gas pedal.

"Just remember," Mac warned him, smirking, "if you get a ticket _you're_ paying for it and _you're_ the one that's going to have to explain it to your grandmother."

He eased up off the gas.

"Marines," he muttered, sourly.

Mac just smiled at him. She glanced out her window.

She hadn't felt so relaxed in quite a while.

They had spent the three days moving the kids' things from their homes to their apartments…and arranging for Annie's and Kyle's things to be sold off.

Chloe and Josh would get any money made from the auctions.

They'd also made arrangements at work for their cases to be distributed between their co-workers (Lt. Singer had been very pleased, or so they'd heard).

The Admiral had given each of them three weeks leave, and told them "Don't come back 'til those two kids are smiling again."

The kids may not have been smiling yet, but they certainly were feeling a little bit better.

The shadow of grief was still in their eyes at times, but they had slowly begun to act more like their old selves.

"Hey!" Chloe exclaimed, shrilly. "You pinched me!"

"Well, you wouldn't look at me." Josh accused, sullenly.

"What do you want?" Chloe asked him, glaring.

"What are you listening to?" Josh asked, curiously.

"What's it to you?" Chloe asked, snorting.

"I was just curious," Josh told her, sullenly. "You don't have to bite my head off, you know!"

"Fine," Chloe huffed. "It's She-Daisy."

"You listen to Country?" Josh asked, laughing. "What a geek!"

"I am _not_ a geek!" Chloe yelled. "You're a jerk!"

"That's better than being a geek!" Josh told her, smirking.

"Only a jerk would think that," Chloe told him, angrily.

"Geek!"

"Jerk!"

"Geek!"

"Jer—Hey!"

Harm sighed, slamming his foot on the breaks and pulling off the road.

The arguing stopped as both kids looked at him like he was crazy.

Mac was also looking at him wide-eyed.

He turned around in his seat.

"I think it's time for a bathroom break," he told them, seriously. "Either of you have to go?"

Chloe looked out her window. "I don't see anywhere to use the bathroom…"

Josh snorted. "That's what's the trees are for, dummy," he told her, smirking.

"I am_ not_ using the bathroom behind a tree," the girl exclaimed, adamantly. "And I am not a dummy!"

"It may be a while," Harm warned her. "We've still got an hour before we reach the farm."

He glanced at Mac, hoping for some support.

"I'm with Chloe on this one," she told him, smiling. "We can wait."

Harm shrugged. "C'mon, pal," he told Josh, smirking. "I _really_ gotta go!"

Mac and Chloe watched as they hurried behind a pair of trees.

Once they were back in the car, Harm turned to the two kids.

"All right," he said, firmly, "I know it's been a long trip, and I know you're probably bored and hungry, but could you please stop the bickering?"

From the tone of his voice, they could tell that really wasn't a request.

"He started it," Chloe accused.

"Nuh uh, Harm," Josh exclaimed. "She did!"

They glared daggers at each other.

Harm looked at Mac for back-up.

"I think it's a safe bet to say you've both been responsible," she said, calmly, "but please just cool it for a little while, okay?"

Despite her even tone, there was a look in her eyes that brooked no argument from either one of them.

The kids sighed. "All right," they agreed, somewhat reluctantly.

Chloe got her book back out and started reading again.

Josh got out his Game Boy and started playing.

Both pointedly ignored the other.

Once again, there was peace and quiet in the car.

Harm and Mac exchanged relieved glances.

Even though the bickering gave them both a headache, it _was_ a positive sign that the two kids were on the road to recovery.

Harm got them on their way again, and it wasn't long before they were all in a better traveling mood.

...

_1100 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Farm_

_Beallsville, PA_

Harm turned the SUV down his grandmother's driveway and pulled up to the old farm house.

He smiled at the sight of his grandmother waiting on the front porch for them.

"All right, everybody," he said, "let's pile out."

"Thank God," the two kids exclaimed, seemingly in a race to be the first out of the car.

Harm and Mac exchanged glances.

"I hear that," they said at the same time, getting out of the car also.

"Well, Harmon," Sarah Rabb exclaimed to her grandson, "what are you waiting for?"

She held her arms out.

Harm smiled, embracing her.

He loved his grandmother with all his heart.

"Hey, Gram," he greeted her, warmly. "We made it."

Sarah chuckled.

"So, I see," she told him, wryly. "Now, how about introducing me to these three behind you?"

Mac stepped forward.

"I'm Mac," she said, holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you finally, Mrs. Rabb."

Sarah put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow at her.

"First, dear," she said, "it's Gram and second come here."

She then wrapped her arms around the beautiful Marine and squeezed.

Mac was a bit surprised at first, but retuned the hug.

She saw right away she was going to like this woman a lot.

"Here, Gram," Harm said, placing an arm around each of the kid's shoulders.

"This is Chloe Anderson and Josh Pendry."

Sarah hugged both children affectionately.

"I've heard a great deal about you both," she said, smiling at them. "I bet you're both hungry after such a long car trip, huh?"

"I sure am," Josh spoke up.

"Yeah," Chloe agreed, "me, too."

Sarah smiled.

"I thought as much," she said, winking at Harm and Mac. "That's why I have a hot plate of homemade cookies and a jug of ice cold milk all waiting for you in the kitchen…"

"Cool," Josh and Chloe exclaimed at the same time, earning a smile from all three adults.

Sarah then looked at Harm. "I have a surprise for you," she told him, smiling.

Harm looked confused. "What is it, Gram?" he asked.

Sarah looked toward the porch and called out, "Come on out here and say hello!"

From the inside of the house stepped a tall teenager with dark hair and piercing sea-color eyes—the Rabb eyes.

Harm and Mac both stared at him in complete surprise.

"Hello, brother," Sergei greeted his older brother. "You are very surprised, I take it?"

TBC...


	5. A Time for Family

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 5: A Time for Family

_1145 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Farm_

_Beallsville, PA_

"Sergei," Harm asked, as he and his sixteen year old brother unpacked the SUV, "what the hell are you doing here?"

Sarah had herded Mac and the kids into the kitchen for the snack she had promised them while her grandsons took care of the luggage.

She knew it would give them a chance to talk.

"Mr. Webb brought me," the Russian teen told him.

"Webb?" Harm asked, frowning. "Why wasn't I told? Why didn't you call me?"

Sergei shrugged.

"I did not wish to bother you," he replied. "He told me about what was happening with the children."

Harm snorted at that, looking his brother up and down.

_Children? You're only four years older than them…_

"But that still doesn't answer my question," he pressed. "Why are you here and not in Russia with your mother?"

Sergei's blue eyes clouded over. "Mama died, Harm," he said, quietly.

Harm's eyes widened at that. "Why didn't you call me?" He couldn't hide the hurt in his voice.

The teen shrugged.

"It was the flu," he said. "It happened so quickly. I didn't want to bother you."

He looked away, feeling tears sting his eyes.

In reality, he just didn't want is older brother to see him cry.

"Sergei," Harm growled out through gritted teeth, "you're my brother! If you'd called…"

"You'd have come, I know," Sergei said, sighing, "but then you would have left your important work and your beautiful Colonel…"

"Mac's isn't 'my' Colonel," Harm said, automatically.

Sergei grinned in a way that made him blush for some reason.

"I didn't know what to do," he admitted, "so I just stayed on the farm. Last week, though, Mr. Webb showed up and asked me if I wanted to come to America. I do not even know how he knew…?"

"Uh, well," Harm confessed, "I did kinda ask him to keep an eye on you for me…"

Sergei grinned.

"You are a good big brother, Harmon," he said, "and I asked if it would be possible to come to you and that was when he told me about what had happened with your friend's wife."

Harm nodded. "Even so," he said, "you should have called…"

Sergei just shrugged.

"I did not wish to bother you," he said, "so I asked him to bring me here to Grandmother. She told me you were coming with Colonel Mackenzie and the two kids, so I figured I would simply tell you when you got here."

Harm shook his head.

"You sure got the Rabb stubbornness all right," he said, sighing. "Remind me to give Webb a call this evening. I need to find out the details of what's being done to allow you to stay."

"Grandmother has offered to let me remain here with her," Sergei started to say, but Harm cut him off.

"You're coming back with us," he said, firmly.

"You have Josh to look after," Sergei reminded him. "I do not want to be in the way."

"Sergei," Harm said, giving him a look. "I'm a trained Navy pilot and lawyer. I think I am quite capable of looking after my twelve year old godson and my sixteen year old brother just fine."

"I can take care of myself," Sergei insisted, his jaw setting stubbornly.

Harm gave him a look. "Right," he said, smirking, "but you _are_ only sixteen, Sergei."

"So?" Sergei asked, pointedly.

"Think about it?" Harm told him. "You could go to school, get your diploma, and then go to college."

"I can do that here," Sergei told him. "Grandmother is older, she needs someone…"

"Don't ever let Gram hear you say she needs someone here to help out," Harm warned, smirking, "otherwise you won't have a hide to sit on."

Sergei glared at him.

Harm sighed.

He was beginning to understand why Mac tended to get frustrated with him.

"Look, Sergei," Harm said, "I _want_ you to come live with me. With Mom in San Diego and Gram out here, I haven't had a whole lot of family around—except for Mac and my friends at JAG. You're my only connection I have to our father, and I am the only one you've got, too. Please?"

Sergei sighed. "Very well," he agreed, "but I can still take care of myself."

Harm laughed.

"Believe me, I know that," he said, patting him on the back. "C'mon, let's get this stuff inside before Gran sends in the Marine to get our rears in gear."

Sergei laughed, and the two brothers carried the luggage into the house so that they could join everyone in the kitchen.

...

_1150 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Kitchen_

_Beallsville, PA_

"Wow, Mrs. Rabb," Chloe exclaimed, after taking a bite. "These cookies are great!"

"Thank you, Chloe," Sarah said, "and please, I insist both you and Josh call me Gran the same as everybody else."

Chloe nodded. "Thanks, Gran," she said, smiling.

Mac felt her heart flutter.

It was the first time in a while she'd seen the girl smile and it was one of the best sights she'd ever seen.

_Harm was right…coming here was the right thing to do._

"What about you, young man?" Sarah asked, glancing at Josh. "Do you like the cookies?"

Josh nodded, though he was unable to answer because his mouth was full.

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, after swallowing. "I like 'em a lot—especially the peanut butter ones!"

"Now there's a boy after my own heart," Harm said, as he and Sergei came in from bringing in their luggage. "Any left for two hungry Rabbs?"

"Grandmother makes very good cookies," Sergei said, taking one and biting into it.

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him.

"How exactly do you know that?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "This is the first time I've made them since you've been here, and I told you to wait for them to get here…"

The sixteen year old Russian blushed.

"Well," he said, sheepishly, "I may have…_tried…_ one or two when you went outside to greet them..."

"Sergei," Sarah said, warning.

Harm bust out laughing.

"That's my little brother!" he crowed, slapping him on the back. "Don't worry, I used to sneak 'em all the time, too."

"Harmon," Sarah said, picking up a wooden spoon. "Need I remind you what happens to grandsons who get too big for their britches?"

Mac covered her hand, trying to conceal her smile as Harm's eyes widened in horror at his grandmother.

"Uh, no, Ma'am," Harm answered, quickly. "I definitely remember. Sorry, Gran…" He gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Yes," Sergei agreed with his brother. "Sorry, Grandmother…" He kissed her other cheek.

"Amazing," Sarah said, giving Mac a wink. "I managed to train Sergei in a week, and yet I am _still_ trying to train Harm to behave."

"I think that may be an impossible task, Gran," she told her. "I've been trying for five years now."

"Humph," Harm growled, grabbing a cookie. "No respect."

The others all laughed at that, even Josh and Chloe.

Harm and Mac exchanged glances, thinking how wonderful it was to see them happy again.

It was good that they could forget, at least for a few moments, their grief and just be kids.

"Harm," Josh said, rolling his eyes at his godfather. "You really are such a dork."

"I'm wounded!" Harm exclaimed, grabbing his heart. "And here I thought we were pals!"

"We are," Josh told him, wryly, "but you're still a dork!"

"Can you believe this kid?" Harm asked, reaching out to ruffle the boy's hair. "He has cookie crumbs all in his lap and he calls _me_ the dork!"

Chloe's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Look down at your shirt, Harm," she said, pointing.

He did so, and found several large cookie crumbs there.

"Oh," he said, feeling sheepish. "I guess I _am_ a dork!"

"Yes," Mac agreed, smirking. "You are, but you're _our_ dork—so I think we'll keep you around a little while longer."

"Thanks, Ninja-girl," Harm told her, smiling.

Mac smirked in a way that told him she was up to something.

"After all," she said, "who else am I going to get to haul my luggage upstairs?"

Harm groaned, while everyone else laughed.

"C'mon Sergei, Josh," Harm said, jerking his head toward the kitchen door, "let's get the luggage upstairs for the ladies."

"But we are still eating," Sergei said, holding up his cookie and taking another bite.

"Yeah, Harm," Josh said, chewing on his fifth one. "You wouldn't want us to get cramps or something, would you?"

Harm glared at them, and crossed his arms.

Unfortunately, the imposing stare didn't work as well for him as it did for the admiral.

_Maybe if I was in uniform… _He sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Fine," he said, throwing his hands up in defeat, "I'll go do it myself."

"Knew you could all along, Flyboy," Mac commented as he headed for the living room.

They all laughed when he threw a dirty look back over his shoulder.

"Well, this _is_ gonna be a fun few weeks!" They heard him mutter sourly to himself.

Mac glanced at the smiling faces around her, especially those of the kids, and couldn't help but agree with him.

_Yeah, Flyboy, I think it really is._

TBC...


	6. A Time to Relax

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 6: A Time to Relax

_1230 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's farm_

_Beallesville, PA_

"Knock, Knock," Harm knocked on the door to the room Mac and Chloe were sharing. "You ladies decent in here…?"

"Sure, Harm," Mac told him, as she was unpacking her suitcase. "You and Josh all unpacked…?"

"Yep," he told her, smirking, "and I actually get a room all to myself."

"Hey!" Chloe exclaimed, indignant. "How come?"

"Josh wanted to bunk with Sergei," Harm told her. "He said they'd have more to talk about or something…"

Mac smiled. "That's preteen for 'you're old and boring'," she told him, winking at Chloe.

Harm wrinkled his nose. "Thanks a lot," he grumbled. "So, do you ladies like the room?"

"It's lovely," Mac told him. "Remind me to thank your grandmother."

"Mom and Frank usually stay in this one when they come to visit," he told her. "That's why Gran figured you'd like it."

"We do," Mac assured him. "Should I go downstairs and help with lunch?"

"Gran would just shoo you out of the kitchen," he told her. "At least, she always does _me_."

"Thank goodness," Chloe teased, wiping her forehead as there was sweat on it.

Harm smiled at that.

"Are you trying to say something, young lady?" he asked her with mock-sternness.

"Remember a little thing called 'Harm's meatless meatloaf'?" the girl asked, and then made gagging noises.

Mac snorted, attempting not to laugh and failing miserably.

She shrugged when Harm glared at her.

"She does have a point," she told him, grinning.

"Is this pick on Harm day or something?" he asked, grinning. "Cuz, tomorrow I vote for 'pick on the Marine' day."

Mac rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like that'll happen," she said, grinning.

Harm chuckled.

"It was worth a try," he said, shrugging. "As soon as you two are done unpacking those _very_ heavy suitcases you brought I'm gonna take everybody on a tour of the farm."

"They weren't _that _heavy," Chloe told him, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, trust me," Harm told her, grabbing his lower back. "They were."

"You're just _old_," she teased him. "That's all."

Harm smirked, his eye alight with mischief.

"You know," he said, winking at Mac, "I think I might just have to introduce all of you to _every _part of farm life…including chores. I think we'll let Miss Chloe here do the milking, eh Mac?"

"You can if you want to," she said, shrugging, "but I doubt you'll pry her out of bed at five in the morning to go milk a cow."

Chloe stared at both of them in horror, shaking her head fiercely.

"No way," she exclaimed. "I am _not_ milking any cows!"

Harm laughed. "It's okay, honey," he told her, soothingly. "I was just kidding."

Chloe sighed in relief.

Mac chuckled, shaking her head.

_She already has you wrapped around her little finger, Flyboy…_

"So," Harm asked, raising an eyebrow, "we boys will meet you girls down stairs in…oh…five minutes, right?"

"Ten," Mac told him, "and it will be longer if you continue to interrupt us."

"All right, all right," he said, holding up his hands. "I can take a hint. I know when I'm not wanted."

With that, he turned and exited the room.

Mac watched him go, shaking her head.

Chloe grinned at her.

"Are you sure you don't want to take Josh's place, Mac?" she asked, smirking.

"What do you mean?" Mac asked, puzzled.

"You _know_," the girl told her, winking. "Sharing a room with Harm instead of me?"

"Chloe," Mac said in warning.

"Oh, c'mon," the girl told her. "He broke up with the video princess. You tossed Bugme out the door. Go for it, Mac!"

"Harm is my best friend, Chloe," Mac told the girl, firmly.

Chloe snorted. "Yeah, right?" she said, sarcastically. "And I'm Queen Latifah…"

Mac shook her head, running a hand through the girl's hair.

"C'mon," she said, changing the subject. "Let's finish unpacking. Okay?"

"Sure," Chloe said, sighing.

What was it going to take to get the two people she cared about most in the world to see the Light?

_Maybe if we lock them in a room together…or they got lost in the woods together…or we did…_

Chloe smirked.

An idea had just popped into her brain…a very interesting…very crazy… idea.

...

_1700 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Porch_

"It's beautiful," Mac commented, as she and Harm sat on his grandmother's front porch and watched the sun set.

After unpacking, they had all gone on a tour of the farm and Harm had shown them all the places he got into trouble when he was a kid.

Now the kids, including Sergei, were helping Sarah with dinner.

_You sure are._

Harm smiled as he gazed at his best friend, who looked quite content to sit in this swing with him.

She was dressed in shorts and a short sleeved shirt, but she looked beautiful. And very relaxed…

He didn't think he'd ever seen her so relaxed, in fact.

She glanced over at him and smiled.

"What?" she asked him, puzzled at why he was staring at her intently. "Did I suddenly grow a wart?"

"Of course not!" he said, laughing. "I was just thinking I haven't seen you so relaxed in a while."

She nodded. "It's been a rough couple of weeks," she admitted, quietly. "This entire year has been."

He snorted, nodding in agreement with that.

"Tell me about it," he said, "but at least for a little while we can forget about all that and just enjoy ourselves."

She smiled. "Chloe and Josh love it here," she told him. "I never thought I'd see her smile again."

"Him, either," Harm said, staring off into the distance, "and I'm glad Sergei is here, too."

"Did you call Webb?" she asked, curious.

"He said that he managed to get a temporary visa for him," he said, "but that as soon as we get back into town to go get a DNA test done. Once it's shown he and I are biologically related, I can petition for permanent status on the grounds that I'm his legal guardian."

"Legal guardian?" she asked, smirking.

He nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Because he's underage he'll have to have one."

"Couldn't he petition for emancipation rights?" she asked, curiously.

"If he were familiar enough with living in America," he told her, "but with him not really knowing how to live here no judge would grant it to him."

She nodded. That was understandable.

"So," she said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "Do you think you can handle a twelve year old _and_ a sixteen year old?"

"Sergei's not your typical teenager, Mac," he reminded her. "Which is sad, now that I think about it…"

"Why do you say that?" she asked, puzzled.

"When I was his age," he told her, "my only concern before running off like I did was wondering who I was going to take to the junior prom and if I could get to second base with her or not. He should have that, too."

"Who said he won't?" she asked him, smirking. "He _is_ a Rabb, after all, and once he starts school…"

Harm groaned.

"I'll be getting threatening phone calls from angry fathers," he said, putting his head in his hands. "Want to go ahead and shoot me now?"

Mac chuckled. "Oh, no," she said, grinning wickedly. "I can't wait to see you suffer."

Harm smirked at her. "Thanks a lot," he told her, teasingly.

"Are you two ready for supper?" Sarah asked, stepping out onto the porch.

"I could eat a little something," Harm told her, "and I _know_ she's starving." He jerked his thumb at Mac.

"Just because I have a _healthy_ appetite," Mac told him, punching his arm, "and don't eat rabbit food…"

Harm snorted. "There is _nothing_ healthy about what you eat," he told her, grinning. "Trust me."

"Well," Sarah said, grinning at them, "you two can sit and debate this all night, but the food will be stone cold by then."

They chuckled. "Coming, Gran," they said at the same time, and got up to head inside.

Sarah chuckled to herself, watching as they headed to wash up.

_Oh, my sweet boy, please don't let her get away this time!_

TBC...


	7. A Time to Scheme

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 7: A Time to Scheme

_0900 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Barn_

"You want me to what?" Josh asked, giving the girl in front of him a surprised look.

"I want you to help me get Harm and Mac together," Chloe told him. "You know…as a couple."

Josh snorted and rolled his eyes. "Why should I?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Because they're perfect for each other, that's why!" Chloe told him, hands on her hips. "You want Harm to be happy, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess," Josh said, frowning.

It was true that Harm and Mac did seem to _like_ each other a bit more than what they let on, but…

"What's in it for me?" he asked, curious.

"Duh," Chloe told him, rolling her eyes. "You'll get a family!"

"I already had a family," he reminded her, glaring.

She glared back. "So did I," she said, "b-but they're gone now. Harm and Mac's all we got left."

She looked away, blinking back tears.

They had been at the farm a week now, and it had been wonderful.

Harm and Mac spent as much time with them as they did with Sarah and Sergei.

They didn't have anything to do, except maybe help Sarah in the kitchen and with cleaning stuff up.

They'd gone fishing, went swimming, and even horse back riding.

They were able to forget the pain of their loss for a little while and just be kids again.

She didn't want that to end.

"Look," she told him, sighing. "I know you don't know Mac as well as me, but trust me…she's great and she'll such a good mom! You know Harm would make a great dad, too."

"So what?" Josh asked, still not convinced.

"So," she pressed him, "if they get together and get married…then we'd all be a family!"

Okay, so her reasoning did have some logic to it. And it wouldn't hurt to hear her out, he supposed.

But still...

"What'd you have in mind?" he asked, suspiciously.

"Well," she said, a devious look in her eyes. "I was thinking that maybe you and I could…you know…_disappear_ for a little while."

"Disappear?" he asked, confused. "What would that do?"

"If they couldn't find us," Chloe said, smiling. "They'd be worried, right?"

He nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, "I guess so…"

Harm certainly would be, and he figured Mac would be, too…at least about Chloe, anyway.

"So, they'd turn to each other for comfort," she said, beaming at him, "and then once they see we're all right they'll be so happy that they'll hug and kiss each other all over again."

"Uh huh," he said, thinking it over. "Just one little problem, General Custer…"

"What's that?" she asked, puzzled.

"They'll kill us!" Josh told her, rolling his eyes.

"Oh," Chloe said, quietly. She hadn't thought about that.

"I guess they would be a _little_ mad," she told him, "but they'd be so happy to see us that…_maybe_ …they wouldn't care what we did."

Josh gave her a look that clearly said '_Yeah, right'._

Chloe glared at him. "Do you have any better ideas?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, no," he admitted, frowning. "Not really." And he really _did_ want a real family again…

Chloe smiled. "So, you'll do it?" she exclaimed, excitedly.

He nodded. "Sure," he said, "but if they kill us I'm gonna make sure they kill you first."

"That's fine," Chloe said, unconcerned. She was just glad she didn't have to do this alone.

"Okay," he said, since they were now committed to this. "What should we do first?"

"I guess we just go into the woods and wait," she said, shrugging.

"They'll probably come looking for us before they start to get _really_ worried," he reminded her.

"So," she said, "we'll just go far enough away from the farm that they can't find us right away."

He nodded. "I know I'm gonna regret this," he told her, "but let's go…"

"You'll see," she told him, as they made their way out of the barn and headed for the back fence. "This is going to work."

"If you say so," he said, glancing around to make sure no one was watching.

Together, they hopped over the fence and headed for the woods.

...

_1200 Zulu_

_In the Woods _

_Beallsville, Pennsylvania_

"Uh, Josh," Chloe asked, glancing around at their surroundings. "How far have we gone?"

The boy stopped and looked around. "I'm not sure," he said, "but you did say we needed to get far enough away…"

She nodded, glancing at her watch.

"It's been three hours already," she said, biting her lip. "Do you think they've started to worry about us yet?"

He shrugged. "Don't know," he told her, honestly.

"Gran would have had lunch fixed by now," she reminded him. "If we didn't come in when they called…"

He nodded, knowing she was right.

"Maybe we should go back and check," he said. "You know, peek in a window or something?"

"What if we go back too soon?" she asked, biting her lip.

"We'll make sure they don't see us," he told her, "and if it doesn't look like they're worried enough yet we'll make ourselves scarce again."

She nodded, glancing around. "Okay," she said. "Which way is it?"

He looked around, biting _his_ lip now.

"This way," he said, pointing east. "We've been traveling west, so…"

She nodded. "All right," she said, "I'm right behind you."

He nodded and they headed back east.

They traveled for another hour before stopping to rest again.

"I'm hungry," Chloe complained, sitting down on a log.

"Me, too," he told her, his stomach rumbling loudly.

Breakfast had been a long time ago.

"It shouldn't be that much further, though. Right?" She asked him, hopefully.

He nodded, and they started walking again.

Another hour passed.

"Well?" she asked, crossing her arms and glaring.

He glared back. "This was _your_ idea," he reminded her, sourly.

She sighed. "I know," she said, "but I didn't think we'd get lost for real!"

She was on the verge of tears. She was tired and hungry and scared. And she wanted to go home.

Josh sighed. He was scared too, but one of them had to keep it together. Otherwise they'd stay lost forever.

"Let's keep going," he told her. "We have to come to _something_ eventually."

She nodded, biting her lip. "This was a bad idea, wasn't it?" she asked, knowingly.

"Yeah," he told her, "but don't worry—we'll get through this together."

She smiled at him.

"You sound like Harm," she said. "I've always sort of thought of him as a big brother, but I guess now he's more like a father."

"I always wanted a sister to annoy," Josh told her, grinning. "Guess you got yourself a big brother and I got me a little sister."

"Why are you the big brother?" she asked, curiously.

"Cuz, I'm older," he told her, which was true. He was four months older than she was.

She nodded. "I'm glad we're together," she told him, "even if we are lost."

"Harm will find us," he told her, confidently.

She nodded. "And then he'll kill us," she added, wryly.

He chuckled, knowing he was right.

"I bet Mac will beat him to it," he said. "Marines are all gung-ho when it comes to killing."

She laughed at that.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Mac will kill us first and then Harm will take care of what's left."

"C'mon," Josh told her, smiling. "We'd better keep moving."

She nodded, following him.

_Please, Harm, Mac, find us soon!_

TBC...


	8. A Time to Worry

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 8: A Time to Worry

_2100 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Farm_

"Where could they be?" Mac asked, worriedly.

She and Sarah were standing on the front porch, anxiously waiting for Harm and Sergei to come back…hopefully with Josh and Chloe in tow.

The two kids hadn't been seen since breakfast and at first everyone simply thought they were off somewhere playing, but when they didn't come in for lunch and still hadn't when the sun started to set, they had gotten worried.

Harm and Sergei had gone on a search of the wood near the farmhouse looking for any sign of them.

They had been gone for nearly four hours now.

"Here they come," Sarah told her, nodding her head toward the back fence.

Mac hoped she had been referring to the two lost kids, but saw she meant it was only Harm and Sergei.

"Any sign of them?" she asked, her eyes wide with anxiety.

Harm shook his head. "No," he growled. "We searched all over, called their names. There's no sign of them."

Mac could tell by his body language that he was tense, nervous, and anxious as well.

"Harm, what are we going to do?" she asked, swallowing her fear. "They've been gone for twelve hours!"

"I'm going to call the police," he said, determined.

"I'll call the sheriff," Sarah said. "Sergei, go heat you up some food. I left a couple of plates out for you and Harm."

Together, the two of them headed inside.

Mac blinked back tears, but she refused to let them fall. She had to be strong. She was a Marine, after all.

Harm glanced at her and then reached out to pull her into his arms for a reassuring hug.

"We're going to find them," he told her. "I promise."

She nodded, glad for his support. She rested her head on his chest.

"I just don't understand it," she said, quietly. "Why would they go trekking into the woods in the first place?"

"Maybe Josh decided to go exploring and Chloe tagged along," he said, shrugging. "It wouldn't be the first time that boy has done that."

He was remembering the Tiger Cruise and how the then eight year old had separated from the other kids to go exploring on his own.

He glanced down at Mac. "I don't suppose you could have another vision right about now, huh?" he asked, smiling.

He was referring to a time Chloe had gotten lost and found her via a mysterious vision she'd had.

She snorted, but smiled at him appreciatively. He was trying, at least.

"I don't think it works that way, Flyboy," she said, "but believe me right now I wish it did."

He hugged her more tightly, offering his strength and reassurance.

"Harm, Mac," Sarah said, stepping back out onto the porch. "I just got through talking to the sheriff…"

They both looked at her, frowning. There was something in her voice…

"What did he say, Gran?" Harm asked. "Should I go up to the station?"

"Actually," Sarah said, "they had a report of two children being picked up a little over an hour ago. I gave them Josh and Chloe's descriptions and he said it matched the two they'd picked up exactly."

"Oh, thank God," Mac breathed, relieved. "Are they bringing them home?"

Sarah nodded. "They said they picked them up walking on the side of the road," she continued.

"Where were they, Gran?" Harm asked, relief quickly turning to annoyance.

"About ten miles away," Sarah told them. "They apparently got turned around and just kept walking until they came to the road. They figured it had to end somewhere and…"

Harm nodded, understanding.

"Those two have some serious explaining to do," he growled, letting a little bit of his temper show.

Mac nodded, agreeing.

"Let's get them inside _before_ you start interrogating them, Commander," she told him, smirking.

"Of course, Colonel," Harm told her, though he still looked less than happy.

Fifteen minutes later, a sheriff's car pulled down the drive way.

Josh and Chloe hopped out the instant it stopped and ran towards them.

"Harm! Mac!" they cried at the same time.

Josh ran and wrapped his arms around Harm while Chloe did the same with Mac.

"Sir, Ma'am," the sheriff's deputy who'd brought them home greeted them. "We had them checked out by a medic. They're both all right, except for being tired and hungry."

"Thank you for bringing them home," Harm thanked the man, shaking his right hand while keeping his left arm around Josh.

"Yes," Mac agreed, holding onto to Chloe tightly. "Thank you so much."

"Just doing my job, Ma'am," the young man told her, politely.

He glanced at the kids. "You two take it easy and no more exploring in the woods, yaw hear," he told them, smirking.

"Don't worry," Chloe said, smiling. "We won't."

Josh nodded. "You said it," he agreed, smiling at her.

"Well," the deputy said, "y'all have a good evening now." He tipped his hat at them and then got back in his car to pull away.

Harm glanced down at Josh and then at Chloe.

"C'mon," he said, "you two have some explaining to do."

They all headed inside, where the two children were hugged and kissed by Sarah.

"Don't you two ever scare me like that again," she told them, sternly.

"We won't, Gran," they told her. "We promise."

Sarah nodded, and then glanced at Harm and Mac.

"Sergei," she said to her youngest grandson. "Help me in the kitchen, won't you?"

Sergei nodded, glancing at his brother and Mac as well. He winced.

_I would not wish to be those two right now…_

He then followed his grandmother into the kitchen.

"All right," Harm said, crossing his arms over chest and glaring down at the kids. "Start talking."

Josh and Chloe exchanged glances. Where should they start?

"Well, you see…"

"It was kinda like this…

"We didn't…"

"Um…"

Harm and Mac exchanged glances, rolling their eyes.

Josh sighed. "It wasn't a big deal, Harm," he told his guardian. "We're all right."

"Not a big deal?" Harm asked, his eyebrows nearly going up all the way to his forehead.

The kids, and Mac, all winced as his tone rose several volumes.

"You call being lost in the woods for twelve hours 'not a big deal', Mister!" Harm growled at Josh, angrily.

"Harm," Chloe said, blinking back tears. "Don't be mad at Josh. It was my idea."

"_Your_ idea?" Mac asked, narrowing her eyes at the girl. "What exactly was 'your idea', young lady?"

"Hey," Josh said, jumping to her defense. "It wasn't like we meant to get lost for real…uh, I mean…on purpose….that is…Ah, man!"

Chloe glared at him, and he winced.

Oops.

"What do you mean 'for real'?" Harm demanded, feeling a vein in his head start to throb.

Neither kid looked him in the eye.

"Joshua Lucas Pendry," he growled. "Answer me right now!"

The boy just glanced at his shoes, wincing at the use of his full name.

"Chloe Madison Anderson," Mac demanded of the girl, crossing her arms over his chest and glaring at the girl.

Chloe gulped, glancing between the two angry adults.

This was the first time she had ever really seen Harm and Mac really mad…at her, anyway.

She burst into tears. "I was only trying to help!" she cried. "You two belong together! Everybody sees it but you!"

"Chloe," Mac asked, sighing. "What does that have to do anything?"

"W-We thought if you thought we were lost," she explained, "you'd get worried. You'd turn to each other for comfort and…well…"

She shrugged, sniffing.

Harm definitely had a headache now.

"Let me get this straight?" he asked, his voice very low and stern. "You decided it was your job to get us 'together' and you were going to make us think you were lost to do it, is that it?"

"Only," Mac said, sounding just as angry, "instead you got yourselves lost for real!"

"Does that about sum it up?" Harm growled, furious.

The kids nodded, neither one meeting their eyes.

"Unbelievable," Harm said, rolling his eyes. "Josh, I can't believe you went along with this!"

"I couldn't let her go in the woods by herself," the boy growled back at him. "Besides, I want you two to get together, too!"

"It is not your place, either of you," Harm yelled, glaring at Chloe as well as Josh, "to be making _that_ decision for us!"

"Harm," Mac said, quietly. "Yelling won't help."

He nodded, visibly controlling his temper.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, "but what you both did was wrong—_very_ wrong."

"Yes, sir," they answered him, still not looking at him.

He sighed, shaking his head. What were they going to do with them?

A throat clearing had them all looking in the direction of the kitchen.

"C'mon, kids," Sarah told two errant children. "Your food is ready. You can eat while Harm and Mac talk."

The kids looked at their guardians.

They nodded, and they hurried into the kitchen to eat.

...

_2130 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Porch_

"I need some air," Harm growled, and headed outside to the porch.

Mac followed him out.

"Can you believe those two?" he asked, still obviously upset.

"No, not really," she said. "I'm just so relieved nothing worse happened to them."

"I never thought I'd ever say this," Harm told her, "but I have a very strong urge to turn both of them across my knee and blister their behinds!"

Mac blinked at him, momentarily taken back by how paternal that sounded.

"Oh, Mac," he said, misreading her expression, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…that is, I wouldn't…"

She reached up and placed a hand over his mouth.

"Its okay, Flyboy," she told him, grinning. "I have the same urge, trust me."

Now it was his turn to blink at her. "Y-You do?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course," she told him, snorting. "After what they pulled…they deserve it." She shook her head, still highly upset.

He just blinked at her. He was surprised she felt this way, after…

"I know there's a big difference between spanking and abuse, Harm," she told him, seriously. "My dad may have been abusive, but Uncle Matt wasn't. _He_ spanked me a few times when I was a kid…and more than few times when I was a teenager."

"You never told me that," Harm said, "I just thought…"

"That because my dad decided to use me for a punching bag that I'd be against corporal punishment?" she asked, knowingly.

He nodded, suddenly ashamed of his assumption.

She shrugged.

"To be honest," she told him, "I hadn't ever thought about it much—I've never really had a reason since I didn't have kids—until now."

He nodded, understanding. "So, what do we do?" he asked. "We can't just ignore this."

"I know," she said, "and I think it's probably best if you make this decision."

"Me?" he asked. "I mean, sure with Josh… but Chloe…"

"She sees you as a surrogate father as Josh does," she told him, gently. "Whatever you decide, I'll stand behind it. I trust you, and Chloe does too."

He nodded, thinking.

"Can you believe those two?" he asked again, smirking.

Again, she shook her head. "I can understand it, though," she said, quietly.

"What do you mean?" he asked, curiously.

"They've lost the only family they had," she told him, "but they still want to be part of one very much."

He nodded. "Yeah," he said, sadly. "It almost makes me _not_ want to punish them."

"Almost," she said, grinning, "but not quite."

"Exactly," he said, sighing. "Well, I guess we'd better go get it over with."

She nodded and followed him inside.

They headed for the kitchen where they found Josh and Chloe eating in silence, both practically falling asleep in their plates.

"Gran, Sergei," Harm said. "Do you mind if we have a few minutes alone with Josh and Chloe, please."

"Of course, Harm," Sarah told him. "Sergei, why don't you head on up to bed?"

The Russian teen nodded. "Of course, Grandmother," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

He stopped beside his brother. "Do not be too hard on them, eh?" he whispered, quietly.

"They'll be in one piece," Harm whispered to his little brother. "I promise. Now hit the rack, Mister."

Sergei mock saluted him. "Aye, aye Commander, Sir," he said, cheekily. He then headed upstairs.

Sarah came and gave her grandson a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll just be in the living room," she told them and then exited.

Harm glanced at Mac for reassurance and she nodded.

Together, they sat down at the table with the kids.

Josh and Chloe had stopped eating and were looking at their guardians anxiously.

Harm took a deep breath and began. "What you two did was very wrong," he told them. "You know that, right?"

"You not only worried us all half to death," Mac added, "but you also put yourselves in a lot of danger."

"Anything could have happened to one or both of you out there," Harm went on, "and we wouldn't have been able to get to you in time."

"We know," Josh said, sighing.

"We're sorry," Chloe said. "Really…"

"We know that," Harm said, "but that still doesn't mean we're just going to ignore it. You're both going to be punished."

"Yes, sir," Josh said, glancing down at his food.

Chloe sighed, glancing at Mac.

"I'm letting Harm decide what your punishment will be," she told the girl. "I back him up one hundred percent."

Chloe nodded and glanced at Harm nervously.

She couldn't help but be a bit scared, even though she knew Harm would never hurt her.

Harm felt his heart crumple. Chloe had never looked at him like that before…as if she were afraid of him.

He loved her so much...

Just as she had with Mac, she'd started out as a sort of kid sister to him, but now since the accident he had begun to look at her like a daughter, just as he thought of Josh as a son.

"You're both grounded," he told them, feeling slightly awkward saying the words. "The next two weeks, you don't go anywhere unless somebody is with you."

They nodded. "Yes, sir," they said, relieved it wasn't worse than that.

Harm, however, wasn't finished. "I want you both to look at me and listen to me very closely," he told them, sternly.

They did so and he continued.

"Mac and I love you," he told them, "and we're _not_ going to let you get away with these kinds of things."

"We know, Harm…" Chloe started to say, but Mac interrupted.

"Chloe," she told her, sternly. "Let Harm finish, please."

The girl, wisely, closed her mouth.

"If either one of you does anything else like this again," Harm told them, "the punishment will be much worse."

"Worse?" Chloe exclaimed, wide-eyed.

What could be worse than being grounded?

"H-How much worse, exactly…?" Josh asked, hesitantly.

Harm looked him directly in the eye.

"I'll turn you across my knee and spank you," he told him, seriously. "That goes for _both_ of you."

He glanced at Chloe, who had gone noticeably paler.

She glanced at Mac, who nodded. She supported Harm in this, all the way.

"Do you understand?" he asked the kids, sternly.

"Yes, sir," they answered, still rather wide eyed.

"Good," he said, relieved to have that over with.

"Have you finished eating?" Mac asked them, smiling. She was relieved, too.

They nodded.

"Then why don't you both go get ready for bed," Harm suggested. "We'll be up to check on you in a little bit."

"Night, Harm," Josh said, getting up. "Night, Mac."

"Night, pal," Harm said, ruffling his hair.

"Goodnight, Sweetie," Mac told him, kissing him on the cheek.

She couldn't help but smile when he wrinkled his nose at the motherly gesture.

"Good night, Mac," Chloe said, getting up also. She hugged and kissed her also.

"I'll be up in a minute," she told her, grinning.

Chloe smiled, came around the table, and wrapped her arms around Harm's neck.

"Night, Harm," she told him, kissing him on the cheek. "I'm sorry about what happened, but I _am_ right. You two belong together."

Harm chuckled at the girl's persistence.

"Off to bed, you," he told her, turning her around. "Sweet dreams, Sweetheart." He sent her off with a light smack to her rear end.

They watched the two of them exit the kitchen and then stared at each other across the table.

Mac swallowed, unnerved by the amount of emotion she saw reflected in his eyes, knowing he could see the same in hers.

She stood up. "I think I need some air this time," she said, lamely.

He smiled, standing up also.

"Let's go sit on the porch for a little bit before we go up and check on the kids," he suggested.

She nodded.

"Sure," she said, and together they headed out of the kitchen and out the front door.

In the living room, Sarah chuckled.

_Please, Harmon, don't blow it this time! _

TBC...


	9. A Time to Love

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 9: A Time to Love

_2130 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's Porch_

The stars were beautiful, but not as beautiful as Mac…at least, in Harm's opinion.

They sat together, silently, on the swing enjoying the quiet around them.

Unfortunately, it was a little _too_ quiet.

"Uh, Mac," Harm began, hesitantly. "Can we talk?"

"Of course," she said, smiling. "What did you want to discuss, Sailor?"

"Sydney," he told her, giving her a pointed look.

"Oh," she said, quietly.

"Remember on the ferry what I told you?" he asked, gently.

She nodded.

Of course she remembered.

It was _that_ particular conversation that drove her to Mic Brumby in the first place.

"I never really got a chance to explain," Harm went on, swallowing.

_Man, why is this so hard? _

She shrugged. "What was there to explain?" she asked him, hoping she sounded casual.

"A lot," he told her, smirking. "I was a complete ass and well…you know us Flyboys aren't the brightest tools in the shed."

She chuckled. "You aren't _just_ a flyboy, Harm," she reminded him, smiling.

"Yeah, I guess," he said, sheepishly. "Anyway…when I said I wasn't ready to 'let go' it had nothing to do with you or…uh…us. It had to do with me. I was scared…"

There, he'd admitted it.

"Scared?" she asked, surprised. "What was there to be scared about?"

"My feelings," Harm told her, seriously, "and how I felt about you."

"Your feelings for me?" she asked, her heart beating in her chest.

Could it be…?

Would he finally…?

"I love you, Sarah," he told her, letting ever ounce of _feeling _he had for her show in that short simple sentence.

She gasped, feeling her heart start to race.

"I think I have from the moment I met you," Harm went on, staring intently into her eyes, "but…it just never seemed the right time to say it. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to do it. Can you ever forgive me?"

Mac's breath caught in her throat. She had waited a long time to hear him say those three little words.

"Oh, Harm, there's nothing to forgive," she said, blinking back tears. "I love you, too."

The tears started falling.

"Hey now," he said, rubbing them away, "I thought we agreed no more crying over me."

She smiled. "These are happy tears," she told him, sniffling. "They're allowed."

"Oh," he said, grinning, "well…is this allowed?" He leaned in and kissed her.

As their lips connected, a jolt of pure passion coursed through both of them.

It was as if they'd been struck by lightening…only neither of them wanted it to stop.

The kiss lasted for several moments, until they finally had to pull away or run out of oxygen.

Needless to say, they were both pretty breathless.

"Whoa," Harm exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.

"Yeah," she agreed, feeling the same way.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring.

It was a diamond engagement ring. Its setting was very old.

"Gramps gave this to Gran," he told her, "and Gran gave it to Dad to give to Mom."

She just continued to stare at him, afraid to even breath for fear he wouldn't say anything more.

"After Mom married Frank, she put it away," he continued. "She gave it to me a few weeks ago when she came to visit."

"Why?" she asked, curiously.

"I guess she thought I was serious about Renee or something because she told me she thought it was time to pass it on," he told her smirking. "Well, she had the right idea…just not the right girl."

He smiled at her, his eyes practically twinkling with amusement.

Mac watched in stunned silence as he got out of the swing and knelt down on one knee.

"I ain't much, Mac," he told her. "I'm stubborn, pig-headed, opinionated, and…I snore."

She chuckled. "I know all that, Flyboy," she told him. "We _have_ known each other five years now."

He nodded.

"I know," he said, looking sheepish. "I just thought I'd remind you I'm not perfect—not that you think that, of course."

She smiled, shaking her head and gently ran her fingers through his hair.

"Anyway," he went on, nervously. "I have my faults and I know you have yours too, but they don't matter to me. I love you all the more for them."

"Harm," she told him, grinning. "You're babbling."

"Sorry," he told her, smirking. "What I'm trying to say is you would do me a very BIG honor, Sarah Mackenzie, if you would be my wife?"

Mac once more felt tears feel her eyes. "Uh, don't you think this is…sudden?" she asked him, curiously.

"Hell no!" he exclaimed, laughing. "We've wasted too much time all ready, haven't we?"

She nodded. She had to agree with him there.

"Don't most people date before they get engaged, though?" she asked him, smirking.

Of course, they weren't most people…

He snorted at that.

"Mac, I've dated more women than I care to remember," he told her. "And none of them—not a single _one_—knows me as well as you do and no one ever will."

"You know me, too," she told him, smiling.

"Then, what do you say?" he asked, smirking. "Will put your toothbrush next to mine of the next fifty years or so?"

"Yes," she told him, grinning. "Yes, Harmon Rabb Jr., I would be honored to be your wife."

"Hot damn!" he crowed, jumping up and pulling her up with him and wrapping his arms around her.

"Harmon," Sarah's voice exclaimed from within, sternly.

"Sorry, Gran," he called out, looking just like a little boy caught in the cookie jar. "It just slipped out."

"You'd better watch it," Mac whispered to him, smirking. "Wouldn't want her to get that wooden spoon, would you?"

"Don't even joke about that," he told her, wincing. "That thing _hurts_!"

"I bet it does," she told him, teasing, "and I bet you know from first hand…uh, _rear_… experience."

Harm nodded at that. There was no denying it.

He had been a rather…rambunctious…kid growing up.

"So," Mac told him. "Are you gonna put the ring on?"

Harm smiled. "You bet I am," he said, and did just that. "It looks pretty damn good, eh Marine?"

"It certainly does, Sailor," Mac told him, teasing, "but so do you."

Harm grinned. "C'mon," he said, grabbing her hand and leading inside.

"So," Sarah asked, grinning knowingly. "Did you two talk?"

They smiled at each other.

"We sure did," Harm told her. "We'll tell you all about it tomorrow, Gran. Good night!"

"Night, Gran," Mac called, but that was all she got out before she was pulled up the stairs. "Hold it, Flyboy, let's check on the kids first…"

Harm nodded. He quickly looked in on Josh and Sergei. "Sound asleep," he reported to her. "Chloe?"

She nodded. "Likewise," she said. "She's taking up most of the bed, too."

"Guess this means you're going to need a place to sleep, eh?" he asked, smirking.

She smirked back. "Got somewhere in mind?" she asked, coyly.

"As a matter of fact," he told her, pulling her to him. "I do."

He kissed her passionately.

"We'd better hurry," she told him, breathing hard. "Otherwise your grandmother is going to get quite a shock when she comes to bed."

He laughed at that, but he knew _exactly_ how she felt.

"Right this way, Ma'am," he told her, opening the door to his room.

"Why thank you, Kind Sir," she said, brushing his jaw with a finger as she stepped into the room.

Harm smiled brightly.

_Oh, man, yeah!_

That was his last coherent thought as he closed the door.

He had other thoughts, too, but none of them really mattered at that moment.

Nothing did, except….

_Oh, yeah! Oh, Mac! OH, YESSSSS!_

...

_0800 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's House_

The next morning dawned bright and clear.

Harm awoke feeling warmth snuggled against him and smiled.

Memories of the night before, his first night with his beautiful Marine, came flooding back.

"I smell food," Mac mumbled, sleepily beside him.

Harm chuckled.

Leave it to his Marine…

"It's probably Gram," he told her. "She always gets up early on Sundays…"

Mac opened her eyes. "That's right," she said, smiling, "it _is_ Sunday…"

"You mean _you_ didn't know?" he asked, smirking. "What happened to that internal clock of yours…?"

She smirked back at him. "Somebody seems to have thrown it for a loop," she told him.

"Oh?" he asked, playfully. "Anybody I know?"

"Maybe," she said, teasing.

"Oh, well then," he said, leaning down, "let me see what I can do about that…"

They kissed passionately.

When they parted, both breathless, he grinned. "Better?"

"No," Mac said, smirking, "worse…but that's okay. You can keep throwing me for a loop, Flyboy."

"My pleasure, Ninja Girl," he told her, caressing her cheek. "It looks beautiful on you."

"Huh?" she asked, glancing down at her self.

She wasn't wearing anything, so…

He picked up her left hand and kissed her ring finger…with the ring he'd given her on it.

"Oh," she realized, smiling. "It does, doesn't it?"

"Absolutely," he said, proudly.

"You know we're going to have to tell the kids," she said, "and Gram…"

"Yeah," he said, sighing. He reached for his jeans.

She stopped him. "I didn't say we had to tell them right this second…"

He smiled, seductively.

"Oh, really," he said. "Got something in mind?"

She crooked a finger at him. "Come here," she said, sultrily, "and find out, Commander."

"Yes, Ma'am," Harm said, never happier to obey an order in his life…

Later…an hour later, to be exact…they did get up and get dressed.

Going downstairs, they found everyone in the kitchen.

"Well, look at all of you," Harm said, whistling.

Sergei and Josh were outfitted in white dress shirts and black slacks while Chloe wore a flower-print dress.

"What's the occasion?" Mac asked, curiously.

"Gram insists we go to church," Sergei told her, sighing.

"C'mon, little brother," Harm told him. "Church will do you good…"

"It'd do you some good too, Harmon," Sarah said, coming into the kitchen in her Sunday dress.

"Uh, well," Harm said, "we—me and Mac, that is—figured we'd just…um…"

He glanced at Mac helplessly.

Mac rolled her eyes and held out her left hand for everyone to see.

"What the flyboy is trying to say," she told them, "is that since we're now engaged we thought we'd spend the day together here if that's okay with all of you...?"

"Uh, yeah," Harm said, smiling. "What she said."

He shrugged when Mac gave him a look.

For about five seconds, no one spoke and then…

"Oh…my…GOSH!" Chloe squealed, hopping up. "It worked! It actually worked!"

"Now hold on there, young lady," Harm told her, firmly. "That little scheme of yours had nothing to do with it…"

Chloe smirked at him.

"Would you have popped the question, though?" she asked him, smugly.

Harm narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'm gonna plead the fifth on that one, little lady," he told her, smirking.

"That means 'no'," she said, grinning. "Oh, I'm so happy!" She hugged them both tightly.

"As I am," Sarah said, coming and kissing both of them.

"Congratulations, brother," Sergei said, embracing his brother, "and to you to, sister." He hugged Mac as well.

"Um, that's great," Josh said, hesitantly. "I'm happy for you both."

"Uh huh," Harm said. "C'mere, buddy." He held out his arms and the boy came to him.

Hugging him tightly, he whispered in his ear, "I _am_ happy for you, Harm."

"Thanks, buddy," Harm whispered back. "Now go hug Mac, okay?"

He pushed the boy at his bride-to-be.

"Uh, congrats Mac," Josh told her, hugging her awkwardly.

Mac smiled and embraced him.

"Its okay, Sweetie," she told him, "I know you don't know me all that well…"

"Nah, it's cool," he told her. "You make Harm happy, that's all that matters."

"Your happiness matters to me too, young man," she told him, cupping his chin gently. "Don't ever forget that, okay?"

He smiled. "Never mess with a Marine, right Harm?" he said, glancing at his godfather.

Harm chuckled, wrapping an arm around Mac's waist.

"You said it, buddy," he said, winking at him.

Mac rolled her eyes.

"It's almost ten," she said, her internal clock once more working in pristine order.

"Oh, we've got to be going," Sarah said, putting on her hat and gloves. "Come along, children."

"Drive safely, Gram," Harm said, "and be sure to tell Reverend Morgan I said hello."

"Oh, I will," Sarah said, smiling. "He'll be happy to hear his favorite fishing buddy is back in town."

Harm chuckled.

"Tell him to let me know and we'll go," he called out, as they all piled into Sarah's car.

"Will do," Sarah said, climbing into the driver's side.

She started the car and sped out of the drive way.

Harm felt arms wrap around him and a cheek press against his shoulder blade.

He turned his head and smirked.

"Have I told you today how much I love you?" he asked Mac, curiously.

Mac smiled at him.

"Only half a dozen times before we got out of bed this morning," she said, smirking.

"Oh," he said, turning around to embrace her, "then let me make it the first time _out_ of bed this morning…"

"I love you, Sarah Mackenzie."

"And I love you, Harmon Rabb," Mac replied, lifting up on her tip toes to kiss him.

He returned the kiss with equal passion.

"C'mon," Mac said, after they'd parted, "let's sit out here and enjoy the fresh morning air for a little while."

"Sure," he said, allowing her to pull him over to the swing and sat down.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, while she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"So," she asked him, "when do you think we should have the wedding?"

"Hmm," he said, thinking. "How about next Sunday…?"

Mac burst out laughing. "Oh, right," she said, chuckling. "Good one, Flyboy."

He looked down at her.

"I'm serious, Mac," he told her. "Why not have the wedding next Sunday?"

She lifted her head and looked at him. "Harm," she said, seriously, "that's only a week away!"

He shrugged. "So?" he asked, not seeing a problem.

"You can't put together a wedding in a week!" Mac exclaimed, indignant.

"Why not?" Harm asked, smiling. "If we call everybody tonight and let them know…"

"What about a dress?" Mac asked. "Then there's flowers, the catering, the bride's maids dresses, the tuxes…"

"Do we really need all that?" Harm asked, curiously. "I just need you, Mac."

"I need you, too," Mac told him, "but there are some things I always thought would be givens…"

Harm thought about it.

"Well, like I said, if we called everybody tonight," he told her, "that would give them time to get here."

"I guess so," Mac reasoned, "but what about the other things?"

"Well, I don't know about you but I'll probably ask Bud to be my best man," he said, grinning.

She nodded.

"Harriet will be my matron of honor," she said, "and Chloe can be our flower girl—she's not too old yet."

"Josh can be the ring bearer," Harm added, "but what about Sergei? I don't want to exclude him…"

"Well," she said, thinking, "why not let him choose what he wishes to be…he might not want to be part of the wedding at all."

"Good point," Harm said, smiling. "So, does this mean we can do it? Next Sunday, I mean."

"What about the other stuff?" she asked, curiously. "And where exactly would we have a wedding at?"

"Here at the house," he told her, simply. "It's where I've always wanted to get married, anyway."

"I like that," she said, smiling. "Now, tuxes and dresses?"

"Well," Harm said, "Bud will wear his dress whites and he can bring mine with him when they come. I'm sure if we can tell her a color, Harriet can pick out a nice dress to wear…"

She nodded, agreeing so far.

"What about a dress for me?" she asked him, smirking. "There are such things as measurements and fittings, you know."

"Well," Harm said, "there's Gram's wedding dress…it's a bit old fashioned, but…"

"But I couldn't," Mac said, "I mean, it probably wouldn't fit, but even if it did I couldn't ask her to…"

"Gram's never had a daughter to pass it on to," he reminded her, "and my mom wore _her_ mother's wedding dress when she married Dad. Gram's can sew like no body's business and so she'd be able to do any adjusting that needed doing in plenty of time…"

Mac swallowed. "I suppose that could work," she said, "but what about flowers?"

"Did I mention I'm quite handy with origami?" Harm asked, smirking. "If you wouldn't mind paper roses for decorations and…there is the flower shop in town, of course."

"What about the license?" Mac asked, smirking.

Harm shrugged.

"We'll go first thing tomorrow," he said, "that way any blood work that needs doing can be done with by the end of the week."

"And a minister to perform the ceremony?" Mac asked, grinning.

"There's always Reverend Morgan," he told her, "or I do have an old Academy buddy who's father is a navy chaplain…"

"It seems you've thought of everything," she said, impressed.

"I just don't want to wait, Mac," he told her. "I'm tired of waiting—waiting nearly cost me the most important thing in my life, remember?"

She nodded, understanding. "I know," she said. "I'm tired of waiting, too."

"So?" he prompted.

"So," she said, smiling, "it looks like there's going to be a wedding here next Sunday."

"Hot damn!" Harm hollered, jumping up and pulling her up with him.

She smirked.

"You're lucky Grams isn't here," she told him, "otherwise it'd be the wooden spoon for sure…"

"Oh, shut up," he told her, "and kiss me."

"Aye, aye, Commander," she said, and obeyed the order with much pleasure.

TBC...


	10. A Time to Prepare

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 10: A Time to Prepare

_1030 Zulu_

_Eastside Mall_

_Pittsburgh, PA_

"Harm, why can't I just wear the shirt and pants I wore yesterday to church?" Josh asked Harm as they made their way to a tuxedo rental store.

After he and Mac had stopped by the Beallesville County Courthouse that morning to apply for their marriage license, they and the kids had travelled to the nearest city in order to take care of the kids' clothing for the wedding.

Having called everyone last night and let them know the day, time, and basic plans for the wedding, everything was all set. His mom and Frank were flying in immediately to help out, Bud and Harriet would arrive with little AJ on Saturday, and the Admiral said he'd arrive on Sunday.

Now, while Mac and Chloe searched for the perfect flower girl dress, he and Josh were on their way to secure the boy a white tux—so that he at least matched his and Bud's dress whites.

Sergei had opted to not be apart of the wedding, and had also chosen to stay on the farm and help Gram with some much needed repairs—Harm was of the opinion his brother may have gotten the better end of the deal.

"Because," he told Josh, "a tux is traditional, pal, and Mac wants it to be as traditional as possible."

Josh wrinkled his nose. "Is it too late to do what Sergei did?" he asked, mournfully.

Harm chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Afraid so," he told him, opening the door to the tux shop. "In."

Sighing, Josh entered the store and he followed him.

"Good morning, Gentlemen," a perky sales clerk wearing large gold earrings greeted them. "How can I be of assistance this morning?"

Harm placed his hand on the top of Josh's head.

"We need a white tux," he told them. "For him…"

Josh sent a glare his way—which he pointedly ignored, of course.

The sales clerk smiled at the boy. "And what may the occasion be?" she asked, curiously.

"A wedding," Harm informed her. "He's the ring bearer."

"Isn't he a little old?" she asked, frowning. "Traditionally, the ring bearer is under the age of ten…"

"See," Josh told Harm, smirking. "And I'm twelve."

"This wedding is slightly non-traditional," Harm explained, smiling. "The flower girl is the same age."

"Ah," the young woman said, and pulled out some books from under the sales counter. "Well then, if you'll just look through these catalogues. We have a wide selection of children's tuxes and suits to choose from…"

While Harm started previewing through the various selections, Josh got bored standing there and decided to have a look around the shop.

After he'd checked out all the wedding gowns—some of which he wondered how women even managed to fit in them—and tried to have a sneak peek in the ladies changing room (a matronly sales associate stopped him before he could get a good look, unfortunately) he found the displays of men's, young men's, and boy's tuxes and suits.

There were all the usual styles, of course, but a pair of miniature dress white uniforms caught his eye.

One was small, as if it had been made for a kid about six years old, but the other looked to have been made for a bigger kid—like someone twelve years old.

Josh smiled, an idea popping into his head.

Because it was only hanging from a rack, he grabbed it and headed back to the front to find Harm.

"Hey, Harm," he said, smiling. "Look at this!"

Harm, whose brow was crinkled from looking at various selections of tuxes, looked up and grinned.

"Where did you find that, pal?" he asked, curiously.

"Oh, _that_," the sales clerk said, wrinkling her nose. "That was a custom made affair. An older naval officer was getting married for the second time. His two grandsons insisted they have dress uniforms, too. Unfortunately, at the last minute, the bride decided she wanted to elope instead…"

"I like this one, Harm," Josh told him, hopefully. "Can we get it for me?"

Harm bit his lip. "I don't know, pal," he said, hesitantly.

"Please," Josh pleaded. "I'll really match you and Bud this way…"

"Are you in the Navy, Sir?" the sales clerk asked Harm, curiously.

"Yes, Ma'am," Harm told her. "I was a naval aviator and now I work for the JAG corps as a lawyer. My fiancé is a Marine—also at JAG. Even though we're not having a traditional military wedding, my best man and I will be in dress whites."

"Please, Harm," Josh said, giving him his best 'puppy dog' expression. "If I _have_ to get all dressed up, anyway, I'd like to match…"

Harm looked at the sales clerk. "Would it be possible to purchase or rent it?" he asked, curiously.

"Of course," the sales clerk told him, smiling. "We've been trying to sale it ever since it wasn't picked up on time."

"How much?" Harm asked, curiously.

"Well, it's marked down to $75.00," she told them, "but then there are the shoes—which will be around $25.00—and any alterations that are needed. Those vary depending on what needs to be done and when the customer needs it by."

Harm glanced around.

"Is there a men's dressing area?" he asked, curiously. "Let's let him try it on and see if it will fit."

"Of course, Sir," she said, pointing. "It's in the back to the right."

Harm nodded and steered Josh in that direction.

Entering the dressing room, he asked, "Do you need any help getting it on?"

"C'mon, Harm," Josh wrinkled is nose at that suggestion. "I'm not a baby!"

Harm chuckled at the kid's embarrassment. He remembered being that age all too well.

"I know you're not, buddy," he assured him, "but you've also never put on a naval uniform, either."

"I'm a bright kid," Josh told him, cheekily. "I'll figure it out."

Harm nodded. "All right," he told him, "but if you need any help. Just ask. Okay?"

Josh nodded. "I will," he said, and closed the fitting room door.

A few minutes later, he reemerged wearing the miniature uniform.

Harm had two thoughts simultaneously as he smiled down at the boy.

_Luke would be so proud of him_, he thought, _and Annie is probably rolling around in her grave…_

As luck, or fate, would have it the uniform fit Josh perfectly.

No alterations were needed, so all they had to do was purchase it, the miniature cover (the hat, for those non-military people out there…) that went with it, and the shoes.

All in all, it was about a hundred dollars less than what Harm had expected to pay—and that was for _renting_ a tux.

"Well, buddy," he said, draping an arm around Josh's shoulders. "That's taken care of. What do you want to do now?"

Josh thought about it. "Can we go to the arcade?" he asked, pleadingly. "And get something to eat?"

Harm glanced at his watch.

"I'm sure Mac and Chloe are still gleefully shopping," he said, smirking, "so I think that can be arranged. C'mon."

After thirty minutes of hard electronic game, pinball, and skeet playing at the mall's arcade, they headed over to the food court for some soda and pizza.

"Thanks for letting me get the dress whites, Harm," Josh told him, after about his fourth or fifth slice of pepperoni pizza.

"You're welcome, pal," Harm told him. "Someday, I bet you'll have an authentic set to go along with 'em…"

"Yeah," Josh assured him, grinning. "You can count on that. Hey, Harm?"

Harm grinned. "Yeah, kiddo?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"About the other day," Josh said, quietly. "You know, when Chloe and I…uh, well…"

"Got lost on purpose and worried us all half to death," Harm finished for him, pointedly.

Josh blushed. "Uh, yeah, that," he said, hesitantly. "Did you really mean what you said?"

"About…?" Harm asked, raising an eyebrow.

Josh blushed even more. "You know," he told him. "About what you'll do if we get in trouble again…"

"About spanking you?" Harm asked, grinning. "Yeah, pal, I was as serious as a heart attack on that one."

Josh sighed. "I thought you were," he said, quietly.

"Hey now," Harm said, reaching across the table to lift his chin up. "You know I'd never do anything to ever hurt you, Josh."

"I know," Josh said, honestly, "and Dad spanked me a couple of times, too. Mom didn't believe in it, though…"

"I know," Harm told him, "and it wouldn't be at the top of my child rearing practices, either. Most of the time, buddy, if you get in trouble you're just gonna get grounded and maybe given extra chores. But what you and Chloe did…"

"I know," Josh said. "It was big. We _are_ really sorry about it. You guys know that, right?"

"Mac and I know that, buddy," Harm assured him, grinning. "She and I have been talking, actually…"

"About what?" Josh asked, curiously.

"Well," Harm told him, "after the wedding and we're all back in D.C. and after everyone has gotten adjusted and everything…Well, the gist of it is that she and I want to formally—_legally_—adopt you and Chloe."

"I thought you already had," Josh said, puzzled.

"Currently," Harm explained, "we're just you're legal guardians. Adoption would make us you're parents—if that's you want, that is."

"I, uh, I can't say nothin' 'bout Chloe," Josh said, hesitantly, "but I think I'd like that."

"You would?" Harm asked, a bit surprised by his answer.

"Yeah, I always wanted you to be my second dad," Josh told him, quietly. "I loved Mom and Dad, Harm, you know that. They're always gonna be my real parents, I won't ever forget that, but…"

"You want a family," Harm guessed, smiling.

Josh nodded. "Yeah, and I know they'd want me to have that," he told him, quietly. "Wouldn't they?"

Harm grinned. "Yeah, buddy," he agreed, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "They would."

There was a bit of silence for a moment that was only broken when Josh inadvertently let out a large burp.

"Um, excuse me," he said, blushing in embarrassment. He and Harm burst out laughing.

"You're excused, Mr. Pendry," Harm joked, still chuckling. "Now, c'mon, let's go pry a couple of ladies away from all those expensive dresses."

Josh nodded and the two of them headed in search of Chloe and Mac.

...

_1200 Zulu_

_Harrison's Department Store_

_Pittsburgh, PA_

"What about this one?" Mac asked Chloe for about the hundredth time.

They had been in five different stores already and looked at least fifty dresses…if not more.

"What color dress did Harriet say she was wearing again?" Chloe asked, curiously.

"I think she said it was a rose pink," Mac told her. "Why?"

"Because I want to find something in rose pink," Chloe said, giving her a 'duh' look. "I want to match the Matron of Honor."

Mac sighed. "Chloe, we may not find…" she started to say, but then something caught her eye.

It was a simple spaghetti strapped dress—in a light pink color.

"Eureka!" she exclaimed, going over and grabbing the dress. "What do you think?"

Chloe looked the dress over and smiled brightly.

"It's perfect!" she exclaimed, happily. "Where can I try it on…?"

"Over here," Mac said, leading the way ladies dressing room. "Want any help?"

"Mac," Chloe gave her an exasperated look. "I'm twelve—not two."

"I know, I know," Mac said, holding up her hands defensively. "My mistake… Go on, let's see how it looks."

Chloe laughed and closed the door. She reemerged a few minutes later. The dress fit her perfectly.

"Oh, Sweetheart," Mac said, smiling. "You look beautiful."

"You think so?" Chloe said, happily. "You think Harm will think so?"

"I know he will," Mac assured her, smirking.

"I'm glad," Chloe said. "I want to look pretty for him."

"Really…?" Mac asked, smiling.

"Yeah," Chloe admitted. "I've always loved Harm, you know that."

"I know," Mac told her, and then gave her a hesitant look. "How would you like for him to be your father—_legally_, I mean?"

Chloe frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked, curiously.

"He and I were talking," Mac told her, sitting down in one of the nearby chairs and pulling her to her. "After the wedding, and everybody has gotten adjusted a bit more, he and I would like to formally adopt you and Josh. Would you like that?"

"I'd love it!" Chloe told her, hugging her.

"Really?" Mac asked, a little surprised by her reaction.

After all, she _had_ just lost her father…

"Heck yeah," Chloe told her, smiling. "I loved my mom, Mac, and my dad—you know that. But they're gone and you're all I have left—you and Harm. I want us to be a family—a _real_ family. That's why I did what I did…"

"You mean get yourself and Josh lost in the woods on purpose?" Mac asked, raising a serious eyebrow.

It was still a touchy subject with her.

"Yeah," Chloe blushed at the stern look. "I really am sorry for scaring you."

Mac's eyes softened a little bit.

"Oh, Sweetie, I know you are," she told her, hugging her. "Now, go take that off so we can go pay for it."

Chloe nodded and did just that.

They headed out of the store with the dress and pair of pink shoes to match fifteen minutes later.

"Hey, Mac…?" Chloe asked, glancing at her curiously.

"Yes, Chloe," Mac said, glancing back just as curious.

"Do you think Harm meant what he said?" Chloe asked, hesitantly. "About what he'd do if Josh or I got in big trouble again?"

"You mean about spanking you?" Mac clarified, raising an eyebrow at her. "Yes, I believe he was very serious."

Chloe nodded. "That's what I thought," she said, quietly.

Mac stopped and turned her around so that they were facing each other.

"You're not afraid of him now, are you?" she asked her, seriously. "You know Harm would never do anything to truly hurt you, Chloe—you know I wouldn't let him, right?"

"I know," Chloe told her, truthfully. "It just surprised me a little. I mean, it sounded so…"

"Fatherly?" Mac asked, smirking. "Did Kyle ever…?"

"No," Chloe answered, truthfully. "Though he did threaten it a couple of times when I was driving him crazy…"

"You?" Mac asked, smirking. "Drive somebody crazy? Surely not…"

Chloe giggled. "C'mon, Mac, I'm not _that_ bad," she said, but then looked worried. "Am I?"

Mac shook her head. "No, Sweetheart," she assured him, chuckling. "Of course not…"

She bent down to kiss her head.

"There you two are," a familiar voice spoke up and they turned to find Harm and Josh headed their way.

"Hey there," Mac greeted them. "Get what you needed?"

Harm held up a garment bag. "Yep," he assured them. "You two?"

Mac held up their garment bag. "Yep," she said. "You ready to go?"

"Lead the way, Colonel," Harm told her, smirking.

"Oh no, Commander," Mac told him, smirking back. "I insist you go first."

"But, Mac," Harm said, leaning down to kiss her. "Marines _always_ lead the way…"

"If this gets any deeper," Josh said, wrinkling his nose, "we're going to need combat boots."

"You said it," Chloe agreed, smirking.

"Oh, ha, ha," Harm said, ruffling their hair. "You two think you're both so funny, don't you?"

"Funnier than you," the two kids spoke at the same time.

"They have you there, Harm," Mac told him, laughing.

Harm tried to look stern, but failed miserably and broke out laughing—as did the kids.

"C'mon," he said, draping an arm around Mac's shoulders. "Let's head out."

Together, the four of them headed toward the exit of the mall.

TBC...


	11. A Time to Wed

**J*A*G**

"**A Time for Everything"**

**Summary:** Two tragic deaths, two grief-stricken kids, and two hearts longing to be one…can one event push the course of Fate to where it needs to be?

**Author's Note(s):**** (1) **Takes place in season six.

**(2) **Mac hasn't moved the ring yet.

**(3) **For the purpose of this story, Sergei is just sixteen.

**(4) **In this AU,Chloe's grandparents aren't living.

_**Disclaimer**__:_ I don't own these characters. I just wrote this story for fun.

…

Chapter 11: _A Time to Wed_

_0700 Zulu_

_Sarah Rabb's House_

_Beallsville, Pennsylvania_

The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear—there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Harm woke up early, since he'd slept on the couch the night before—having given up his room to Mac and Chloe so that his mother and stepfather would have a place to sleep.

Pulling on a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt, he went into the kitchen to see that someone had already started a pot of coffee.

Pouring himself a mug of it, he went to sit on the front porch and enjoy the quiet of the morning.

He found his stepfather, Frank, sitting on the porch swing. "Morning," he greeted him, smiling.

Frank looked up at him. "Morning, Harm," he told him, smiling. "So, ready to give up the good life?"

"If by that you mean bachelorhood," Harm said, sitting down beside him, "then yeah I am."

"It's not going to be easy, you know," Frank told him, taking a sip of his own coffee. "You're basically getting a ready-made family today."

Harm nodded. "I know," told him, smiling, "but you managed it okay. I think if I follow your example, I'll do all right."

"If you say so," Frank told him, chuckling. "I seem to remember an eight year old little boy who hated my guts for a long, long time—went out of his way to make me miserable or pissed off."

Harm winced. "Uh, yeah, sorry about that," he said, shaking his head. "Looking back, I was a real brat. What kept you from whooping my ass?"

"Oh, believe me," Frank told him, "I was more than tempted to, believe me, but those first few years I didn't feel it was my place to do it."

"Didn't stop you when I was sixteen," Harm reminded him, smirking.

After he'd gotten home from running away to Vietnam that summer, he'd been greeted with a relieved mother and a very angry Frank.

Frank told him to get up to his room, get cleaned up, and he'd be up to talk to him in a little bit.

That 'talk' consisted of his stepfather wearing out his backside with a paddle and grounding him for three months.

Frank had always left disciplining him up to his mother up to that point, but apparently he'd crossed a line that time.

"You can't say you didn't deserve it," Frank reminded him, gently.

"True," Harm said, "and you managed to surprise the hell out of me. I think that's when my feelings about you changed."

Frank shrugged. "You'd scared me and your mother half to death," he said. "You mom was just thankful you were home, safe and sound, but I knew we couldn't just pretend it didn't happen. I did what I felt your own father would have done."

"You did what any father would have done," Harm told him. "We told you about the little stunt the kids pulled last week, right?"

Frank nodded. "Yep," he said, smirking. "Payback is a bitch, ain't it?"

Harm smiled at that. "You said it," he told him, shaking his head. "But now I know how you felt. Did I ever say I was sorry—for everything?"

"Not in words, but definitely in actions," Frank told him. "I just want you to know, Harm, that if you're wishing your father was here today instead of me—I understand."

"Hey now," Harm told him, clasping him on the shoulder. "My father _is_ here today—both of them."

Frank smiled. "Thank you, son," he told him, pulling him into an embrace. "I'm so proud of you. You're going to do just fine."

Harm hugged the man tighter. "That mean everything," he told him, quietly.

The two let go of each other, sat back on the swing, and each took a sip of their coffee.

"Looks like company's coming," Frank said, nodding to where three vehicles were headed down the drive way.

Harm nodded. "That'll be the Roberts, Turners, and the Admiral," he said, smiling.

It looked like his and Mac's wedding day had officially begun.

...

_1200 Zulu_

_Beallsville Church_

_Beallsville, Pennsylvania_

By noon, everyone was ready and at the church.

Harm stood up beside the Father Turner, waiting.

The pastor had been very kind to step down once the naval clergyman had asked if he could perform the service.

His mom and Frank sat on the front pew with little AJ in between them.

The Admiral, Turner, and Clayton Webb

Gran sat at the piano, waiting for the signal to begin playing the wedding march.

The pastor, who was standing at the entrance, gave a nod and Gran started to play.

The doors opened and the kids entered, walking side by side.

Chloe looked pretty her dress and Josh practically glowed with pride in his dress whites (even if they weren't the real deal).

Harm felt a sense of fatherly pride well up in his chest. After today, they really would be _his_ kids.

Bud and Harriet entered next, arm in arm. Both were smiling from ear to ear. They thought this day would never come.

Finally, Mac entered—on the arm of her uncle, Matt.

He had been her wedding present from the Admiral and Webb.

They'd gotten him a one day 'get outta jail' pass from Leavenworth just so he could walk his niece down the aisle today.

Harm felt his breath catch. He'd never seen Mac looking more beautiful.

Gran had done a bang up job on altering her wedding dress to fit the beautiful marine.

It hugged her body in just the right places.

Mac had opted to wear her hair down, pulled back on one side by a comb with an ivory flower carved on top of it—a wedding present from Harm's mother.

Together, she and Colonel Matt walked slowly down the aisle. Her eyes stayed upon Harm the whole time.

He looked magnificent in his dress whites, as he always had, but something about the way he looked in them today was special.

They reached the front of the church and Chaplin Turner asked in a strong, clear voice, "Who gives the woman to be married?"

"I do," Matt proclaimed, proudly. He gave his niece a kiss on the cheek. "Be happy, Sarah."

"I will, Uncle Matt," she promised him, glancing at that. "My Flyboy will see to that."

"He'd better," Matt said, reaching out to take Harm's hand. "I knew I always liked you, Rabb."

Harm smiled. "Thank you, Sir," he told him, shaking his hand. "That means a lot."

Matt nodded, and then went to sit by Webb—who was technically his 'parole officer' at the moment.

Harm took Mac's hand and they both turned to Chaplin Turner.

"Marriage is a sacred institution," the navy clergyman began, "it should not be entered into lightly or irrevocably—but, I think, that is not the case here today."

This got a laugh from everyone. Today had been a long time coming…

"Do you, Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb Jr.," the Chaplin said, beginning the vows, "take this woman, Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, cherish her, and forsake all other and cleave only unto her for so long as you both shall live?"

Harm looked into Mac's warm brown eyes. "I do," he said, loudly and proudly.

"Do you, Lt. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie," the Chaplin glanced at Mac, "take this man, Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb Jr., to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, cherish him, and forsake all others and cleave only unto him for so long as you both shall live?"

Mac stared in Harm's bright blue eyes. "I do," she said, her voice catching slightly.

Chaplin Turner glanced at Bud. "May I have the rings, please?" he asked, holding out his Bible.

Bud nodded, glancing at Josh. Josh held up the satin pillow that held the rings and Bud took them and placed them on the open Bible.

"Harmon," Chaplin Turner said. "Take this ring and place it on Sarah's left hand. Then, repeat after me."

Harm took the ring he and Mac had picked out a few days ago and slipped onto her left ring finger—right in front of his mother's engagement ring.

"With this ring," he repeated the Chaplin, "I thee wed."

"Sarah, place this ring upon Harmon's left hand," the Chaplin told Mac, "and repeat after me, please?"

Mac took the slightly larger band and slipped it onto Harm's left hand.

"With this ring," she said, as a couple of tears slipped down her face, "I thee wed."

Harm reached up and brushed the tears away with his thumbs. "I love you," he whispered to her.

"I love you, too," she whispered back.

They both turned to look at the Chaplin. "Now that Harmon and Sarah have spoken their vows and exchanged these tokens of their fidelity to one another before God and these witnesses, it is with great pleasure with the power invested in my by the United States Navy and by the Lord Almighty himself that I can now pronounce them husband and wife. Harm, you may now kiss your bride."

"Yes, sir," Harm said, never so happy to follow an order in his life.

Pulling his wife—his wife!—to him, he planted the most passionate kiss on her he could.

Mac, never one to let the Marines be upstaged by the Navy, returned the kiss with just as much gusto.

Those assembled let out a loud cheers and applause!

Harm and Mac pulled apart, but continued to stare into each other's eyes, even as they found themselves surrounded by all those cared about and loved.

They were finally married—finally husband and wife.

Now they could begin their life as a family—as a _whole_ family...

The End.

Author's End Note: I've been working on this story a _long_ time, but I finally finished it. I hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks.


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